Two Hunters and Two Dogs in Winter Scene 

Thomas Sully likely made this watercolor study in the United States, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The image presents a scene of leisure, with two hunters and their dogs enjoying the winter landscape. Sully, born shortly after the American Revolution, would have witnessed the development of an American artistic identity. During this period, hunting imagery was often associated with the landed gentry, evoking notions of privilege. The economic conditions that shaped artistic production during Sully's time were heavily influenced by patronage, with artists relying on commissions from wealthy individuals and institutions. It would be interesting to find out who commissioned it and whether they were from this class. Looking into manuscript collections, estate inventories, and other archival sources can help to understand the social networks and patronage systems that shaped the artist's career and the image's early reception.