Thomas Sully (1793-1872)

The present portrait is one of six painted by Sully between 1815 and 1823 of John Vaughan (1765-1841). During this time, Sully had his offices in the American Philosophical Society's building, an organization in which Vaughan was an active member and officer. Vaughan came to Philadelphia from England in 1783 as a wine merchant. He also served as Curator of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Director of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and founded the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia.