1815
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Man Holding a Book [recto] is a 1815 graphite by Thomas Sully, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a seated man in a loose robe, holding a book open on his lap. His posture is relaxed, one leg crossed over the other, and he rests his chin on his hand. Behind him, a faint outline of a building or ruins suggests a distant background, but the focus stays on his face and gesture. The quick, sketchy lines and ink washes make the drawing feel spontaneous, almost like a quick note. This style was common in early 19th-century portrait sketches. Next, check out the technique: cross-hatching to see how artists build texture with lines.
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter. He was born in England, became a naturalized American citizen in 1809, and lived most of his life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including in the Thomas Sully…
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