Groups of Putti; a Girl and Dog; Massacre of Innocents [?] (from Sketchbook)

Art Historical Context

Thomas Sully, a leading American portraitist of the early 19th, filled his sketchbooks with lively preparatory drawings that reveal his mastery of fluid lines and imaginative compositions. This page from a sketchbook, dated 1810–20, features dynamic groups of putti—playful, cherubic infants common in Western art—alongside a tender scene of a girl with a dog and a possible depiction of the Massacre of the Innocents, biblical slaughter of children by Herod. These varied motifs showcase Sully's neoclassical influences from his time studying in England, blending whimsy with dramatic narrative. Rendered in ink and wash on paper (9 x 11½ inches), the work highlights Sully's virtuoso technique: bold ink contours define forms, while subtle gray washes evoke volume, light, and movement. Such sketches were essential to his practice, serving as rapid studies for portraits, history paintings, or theatrical designs—Sully painted over 2,600 works in his career. The monochromatic palette allowed quick experimentation, capturing the energy of children and animals with remarkable immediacy. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing (Rogers Fund, 1953), this intimate sheet offers a glimpse into the creative process of an artist who bridged British Romanticism and American identity, delighting visitors with its joyful, multifaceted energy.

About the Artist

Thomas Sully · 1783–1872

Thomas Sully, born on June 19, 1783, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England, to actor parents Matthew Sully and Sarah Chester, emigrated with his family to Charleston, South Carolina, in 1792. Raised in a theatrical environment, young Thomas debuted as a tumbler at age 11 before discovering his artistic talent. He studied miniature painting with his brother Lawrence Sully, brother-in-law Jean Belzon...