Artwork
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Thomas Sully. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:reverse: Portrait of Thos. Sully, the Artist, Painted by Himself 1850
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Executed in 1850, this oil on canvas functions as a self-portrait, with the American artist Thomas Sully serving as both the creator and the sole subject.
Executed in 1850, this oil on canvas functions as a self-portrait, with the American artist Thomas Sully serving as both the creator and the sole subject. The work belongs to the portrait genre, specifically categorized as a self-portrait, where the primary iconography consists of the artist's own likeness. As the main subject, Sully presents himself directly to the viewer, a convention typical of the genre intended to document the artist's appearance and professional identity.
The painting does not incorporate complex allegorical symbolism or secondary figures; rather, its meaning is derived from the direct representation of the painter himself. The work currently resides in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having previously been held by the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Technique & Style
Thomas Sully's 1850 Self-Portrait is executed in oil on canvas, a standard medium for his portrait practice. Physical dimensions recorded for the canvas are approximately 76.84 cm in height by 63.98 cm in width. As a self-portrait, the composition centers on Sully as both sitter and painter, consistent with the conventions of mid-nineteenth-century American portraiture. The painting is classified as a portrait within the National Gallery of Art collection.
History & Provenance
Thomas Sully painted this Self-Portrait in 1850, working in oil on canvas. The earliest documented owner was the Washington banker and collector William Wilson Corcoran, who held the painting in his private holdings. On 10 May 1869 Corcoran gave the work to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where it remained in the institutional collection for over a century.
In 2015 the Corcoran Gallery's collection was transferred, and the Self-Portrait was acquired that year by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, where it is currently held.
Overview
This oil on canvas, titled Self-Portrait, depicts the artist seated and gazing directly forward. The composition emphasizes the sitter's face, rendered with careful attention to detail. He is presented in formal attire, occupying a chair, creating a direct engagement with the viewer. The work serves as a personal visual record by the artist.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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…
