In this artwork, how is the Thomas Sully of the Background elucidated?
Thomas Sully was an English-born and American-raised artist in the nineteenth century. As a young adult, Sully moved back to England and studied art under the tutelage of Neoclassical artists Benjamin West and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Sully was heavily influenced by West while in London. West instructed Sully to copy works in his personal collection to improve his skills. Similarities between Sully's The Passage of the Delaware and West's The Death of General Wolfe can be seen in the arrangement of officers around the central figure of the painting.Sully's career was dominated by his production of portraits. After completing his studies in England he returned to America and settled in Philadelphia. In Philadelphia he notably painted portraits of Marquis de Lafayette, Thomas Jefferson, Queen Victoria, Edgar Allan Poe, and Andrew Jackson. Sully's work in portraiture was famous for its smooth lines and chiaroscuro. His prolific work in the field led some to think of him as “The Prince of American Portraiture”.
Benjamin West Thomas Lawrence Neoclassical Andrew Jackson The Death of General Wolfe Edgar Allan Poe Queen Victoria Marquis de Lafayette Thomas Jefferson Thomas Sully