Thomas Sully

• American

Born at Horncastle, Licolnshire in 1783, the fourth child of Matthew and Sara Sully, actors, Thomas Sully emigrated with his family to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1792. After an abortive service in an insurance brokerage, Sully began to study art under M Belzons, his brother-in-law, but around 1799, he broke with his brother-in-law and moved to Richmond, Virginia, to live as his brother Lawrence's pupil. Sully lived and worked with his brother, a miniature and device painter, in both Richmond and Norfolk, until his brother's death in 1803. In 1805, Thomas married his brother's widow who bore him six daughters and three sons. In 1806, the advice of Thomas Abthorpe Cooper, the distinguished actor, Sully moved to New York City, where, introduced to his patron's wide circle of friends, he received and filled many commissions. In 1808, Sully moved to Philadelphia, which was to remain his home. In 1809, he sailed to London, where he visited Benjamin West, and Sir Thomas Lawrence, and upon their introductions painted various of their friends. In 1810 he returned to Philadelphia, where he firmly established his reputation as a "History and Portrait Painter". In 1824-5 Sully painted Lafayette during his farewell visit, and after Charles Willson Peale's death in 1827, and Gilbert Stuart's death in 1828, Sully was virtually the paramount portrait painter in the country. Sully made a second trip to England in 1838 when he painted Queen Victoria on commission from the Society of the Sons of St George in Philadelphia. He also painted many other distinguished Englishmen, and was very well received. For the rest of his career Sully continued to paint, and was singled out by people of culture and discrimination who wished their portraits done. He died in 1872, at the age of eighty-nine. - US NRHP, 1968