Self-Portrait
1776 to 1800
Medium
gouache and watercolor over touches of graphite on paper mount on paperboard
Dimensions
mount: 44.9 × 35.8 cm (17 11/16 × 14 1/8 in.) sheet: 33.7 × 26.2 cm (13 1/4 × 10 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
John Davis Hatch Collection
Accession Number
1984.7.119
Art Historical Context
Thomas Sully's *Self-Portrait*, created between 1776 and 1800, offers a rare glimpse into the early talent of one of America's foremost portrait painters. Born in England in 1783 and later emigrating to Philadelphia, Sul was just a teenager during period, honing his skills the young nation's post-Revolutionary fervor. This intimate drawing captures his youthful features with remarkable sensitivity, showcasing the self-examination typical of emerging artists seeking to master their craft. Executed in gouache and watercolor over subtle graphite touches on paper, the work exemplifies mixed-media...
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...