Major Thomas Biddle
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 90.5 x 69.5 cm (35 5/8 x 27 3/8 in.) framed: 122.9 x 102.4 x 11.6 cm (48 3/8 x 40 5/16 x 4 9/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Collection
Accession Number
1942.8.31
Art Historical Context
**Major Thomas Biddle** (1832) is a striking oil-on-canvas portrait by Thomas Sully, one of America's foremost 19th-century painters, in collaboration with Thomas Wilc Sully. Measuring 90.5 x 69.5 cm, this three-quarter-length depiction captures the dignified bearing of its subject, Major Thomas B, a notable military figure. Created during the early years of the American Republic, the painting reflects the era's emphasis on portraying prominent individuals to convey status, virtue, and national pride. Thomas Sully's mastery of oil painting shines through in his signature luminous flesh tones,...