John Finley
1821
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
17 x 14 in. (43.2 x 35.6 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Rosa C. Stanfield, in memory of her father, Henry Robinson, 1894
Accession Number
94.23.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
Thomas Sully's *John Finley* (1821) is a compelling example of early 19th-century Americanure, capturing the likeness of its namesake subject in a modest 17 x 14-inch oil on canvas. Sully, one of America's foremost portraitists during the Federal period, painted this intimate work amid a burgeoning national identity following the War of 1812. Such portraits served not only as personal mementos for affluent families but also as markers of social status in a young republic eager to celebrate its leaders and citizens. Sully's mastery shines through in his elegant style, influenced by British pai...
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...