Portrait of the Artist

About this artwork

Thomas Sully's *Portrait of the Artist*1821) captures a candid moment of creative interruption: the painter turns from his easel, brush in hand, to meet the viewer's gaze. This intimate self-portrait, executed in oil on canvas and measuring just 17⅛ × 14 inches, was a personal gift for his Baltimore host, broker Henry Robinson. Sully began the work on May 8 finished it remarkably within a week, as noted in his detailed register—a testament to his swift, masterful technique. Born in England in 1783, Sully became one of America's premier portraitists after naturalizing in 1809 and settling in Philadelphia. Influenced by his London studies with Benjamin West, he adopted the classic self-portrait trope of the artist at work, blending refined brushwork with flattering realism. Over six decades, Sully produced around 2,600 paintings, serving elite sitters and cementing his status in early American art. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1894 by Mrs. Rosa C. Stanfield in memory of her father, Henry Robinson, this piece retains its original personal connection. Housed in The American Wing, it exemplifies the era's burgeoning American identity through portraiture, inviting visitors to glimpse a prolific artist's daily world.