(From Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Here we have a sketch by Thomas Sully, rendered in delicate strokes. Observe the seated figures; their posture echoes the classical contrapposto, a stance that has rippled through art history from ancient sculptures to Renaissance paintings. But here, it is softened, imbued with a Romantic sensibility. The women, with their Neoclassical gowns, evoke a sense of timeless grace. Consider the column behind one figure; it's a fragment of antiquity, a symbol of stability and strength. Yet, in this sketch, it appears ethereal, almost fading, reflecting the fleeting nature of beauty and memory. These motifs are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader visual language that has persisted across epochs. Like the melancholic gaze of a Roman portrait, this sketch captures a moment of introspection. The column, once a symbol of Roman power, is now a whisper of the past, a reminder of how symbols can evolve. What do you feel?