Who created "Figure Studies [verso]"?

Figure Studies [verso] was created by Thomas Sully in c. 1815.

When was "Figure Studies [verso]" created?

This artwork was created c. 1815.

What medium is "Figure Studies [verso]"?

Figure Studies [verso] is graphite on laid paper.

Is "Figure Studies [verso]" in the public domain?

Yes, Figure Studies [verso] is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Figure Studies [verso]

Thomas Sully

c. 1815

Medium

graphite on laid paper

Dimensions

sheet: 22.23 × 15.24 cm (8 3/4 × 6 in.)

Classification

Drawing

Department

CG-W

Museum

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Credit

Corcoran Collection (Gift of Ruth Sully Curtis)

Accession Number

2015.19.1570.b

Art Historical Context

Thomas Sully's *Figure Studies [verso]*, created around 1815, offers a glimpse into the preparatory world of one of America's leading portrait painters. Rendered in graphite on laid paper—a sheet typical of early 19th-century European and American drafting— this modest 8 3/4 × 6 in. drawing captures quick, expressive sketches of human figures. The verso position highlights Sully's resourceful use of both sides of a sheet, a practical habit among artists conserving materials during his era. Sully (1783–1872), who trained in Philadelphia and briefly studied in London, was renowned for his elega...

About the Artist

Thomas Sully · 1783–1872

Thomas Sully, born on June 19, 1783, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, to actor parents Matthew Sully and Sarah Chester, emigrated with his family to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1792. Raised in a theatrical environment, young Thomas debuted as a tumbler at age 11 before discovering his artistic talent. He studied miniature painting with his brother Lawrence Sully, brother-in-law Jean Belzon...

Figure Studies [verso]

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