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拍品专文
Thomas Sully is considered one of the foremost American portrait painters of the nineteenth century. His clients included some of the most important military and financial figures of his day as well as significant political men including Thomas Jefferson. Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, executed in 1822, is a rare and historically important full-length portrait of the third president of the United States towards the end of his life.
Thomas Sully in 1779 traveled to America with his family who were circus and theater performers. After a short stint performing as an acrobat, Sully in 1794 was given an apprenticeship with his brother-in-law, Jean Belzons, a miniaturist. Soon after, Sully joined his brother Lawrence in Richmond, Virginia who was also a miniature painter. By 1804 Sully moved to New York, but settled permanently in Philadelphia in 1808. By 1813 the artist had quickly established himself as a leading portrait painter in Philadelphia.
In January 1821, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from Professor Jared Mansfield from the Military Academy at West Point which read: "The Superintendent, Officers, Professors, Instructors, & Cadets of the United States Military Academy, impressed, with a high sense of the great services, you have rendered the Nation, & that this Institution, with which they are connected, originated under your patronage, & presidency, are anxious for some special, & appropriate memorial of your person, which may descend to posterity. " (as quoted in C. Coalwell, "West Point: Jefferson's Military Academy" in Monticello Newsletter, vol. 12, no. 2, n.p.) Mansfield went on to ask Jefferson if he would "gratify them" by sitting for Thomas Sully, one of the "best Portrait Painters of our Country." ("West Point: Jefferson's Military Academy," n.p.) That year Sully was commissioned by the United States Military Academy at West Point to paint a full-length portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the founder of the Military Academy. The painting would be hung in the Academic Library along with portraits of George Washington, the first president, and Jonathan Williams, the Academy's first Superintendent. In March 1821, Sully traveled to Monticello where he stayed for twelve days working on a half-length life portrait of Jefferson (American Philosophical Society) that would be used as an intermediate step for the execution of the final full-length oil. According to Alfred Bush the half length portrait is only one of two portrayals executed from life of the president. (W.H. Adams, ed. The Eye of Th. Jefferson, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. x)
Soon after the life portrait was executed, Sully painted a smaller full-length study in oil and two full-length portraits in watercolor, including the present work, all of which were used as prototypes for the final oil at West Point. The present work closely resembles the final full-length oil in not only composition but in its boldness of color. Sully may have been working through his color scheme in the present work in preparation for the final oil.
Alfred Bush writes: "The full-length [oil] conveys the imposing stature that was so memorable an aspect of his presence. James Fenimore Cooper, who was not an admirer of Jefferson, wrote of the effects of this portrait on him during his visit to West Point in April 1823: 'There was a dignity, a repose, I will go further, and say a loveliness, about this painting, that I never have seen in any other portrait...I saw Jefferson, standing before me, not in red breeches and slovenly attire, but a gentleman, appearing in all republican simplicity, with a grace and ease on the canvas, that to me seem unrivaled.'" (The Eye of Th. Jefferson, p. x)
Thomas Sully in 1779 traveled to America with his family who were circus and theater performers. After a short stint performing as an acrobat, Sully in 1794 was given an apprenticeship with his brother-in-law, Jean Belzons, a miniaturist. Soon after, Sully joined his brother Lawrence in Richmond, Virginia who was also a miniature painter. By 1804 Sully moved to New York, but settled permanently in Philadelphia in 1808. By 1813 the artist had quickly established himself as a leading portrait painter in Philadelphia.
In January 1821, Thomas Jefferson received a letter from Professor Jared Mansfield from the Military Academy at West Point which read: "The Superintendent, Officers, Professors, Instructors, & Cadets of the United States Military Academy, impressed, with a high sense of the great services, you have rendered the Nation, & that this Institution, with which they are connected, originated under your patronage, & presidency, are anxious for some special, & appropriate memorial of your person, which may descend to posterity. " (as quoted in C. Coalwell, "West Point: Jefferson's Military Academy" in Monticello Newsletter, vol. 12, no. 2, n.p.) Mansfield went on to ask Jefferson if he would "gratify them" by sitting for Thomas Sully, one of the "best Portrait Painters of our Country." ("West Point: Jefferson's Military Academy," n.p.) That year Sully was commissioned by the United States Military Academy at West Point to paint a full-length portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the founder of the Military Academy. The painting would be hung in the Academic Library along with portraits of George Washington, the first president, and Jonathan Williams, the Academy's first Superintendent. In March 1821, Sully traveled to Monticello where he stayed for twelve days working on a half-length life portrait of Jefferson (American Philosophical Society) that would be used as an intermediate step for the execution of the final full-length oil. According to Alfred Bush the half length portrait is only one of two portrayals executed from life of the president. (W.H. Adams, ed. The Eye of Th. Jefferson, Washington, D.C., 1976, p. x)
Soon after the life portrait was executed, Sully painted a smaller full-length study in oil and two full-length portraits in watercolor, including the present work, all of which were used as prototypes for the final oil at West Point. The present work closely resembles the final full-length oil in not only composition but in its boldness of color. Sully may have been working through his color scheme in the present work in preparation for the final oil.
Alfred Bush writes: "The full-length [oil] conveys the imposing stature that was so memorable an aspect of his presence. James Fenimore Cooper, who was not an admirer of Jefferson, wrote of the effects of this portrait on him during his visit to West Point in April 1823: 'There was a dignity, a repose, I will go further, and say a loveliness, about this painting, that I never have seen in any other portrait...I saw Jefferson, standing before me, not in red breeches and slovenly attire, but a gentleman, appearing in all republican simplicity, with a grace and ease on the canvas, that to me seem unrivaled.'" (The Eye of Th. Jefferson, p. x)