Mrs. Thomas Sully (Sarah Annis)
ca. 1802
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
1 7/8 x 1 7/8 in. (4.8 x 4.8 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1928
Accession Number
28.169.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the delicate world of early 19th-century American portraiture with *Mrs. Thomas Sully ( Annis)*, a gem created by renowned artist Thomas Sully around 1802. Sully, a master portraitist influenced by British grand manner traditions, captured his own wife in this intimate miniature, showcasing his early prowess at just 19 years old. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this watercolor on ivory (a mere 1 7/8 x 1 7/8 inches) evokes the personal sentiment of family keepsakes from the Federal period. Watercolor on ivory was the gold standard for miniatures, prized for ...
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...