The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
OVERVIEW
OF THE COLLECTION
Creator: Thomas
Sully, 1783-1872
Title: Papers
Dates: 1826-1872
Call No.:
Acc. No.: [various – see detailed description]
Quantity: 1
box
Location: 17
A 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Thomas Sully was a portrait, miniature, and
figure painter. He was born on
From
1809 to 1810, Sully was in
SCOPE
AND CONTENT
This is an artificial collection made up of
Sully manuscripts acquired over a period of time. The highlights of it are the two volumes of
“Letters from
The letters in the two volumes of “Letters from
Additional material includes an inventory of Sully's possessions at his death and a codicil to his will, a certificate entitling Sully to a share in the property of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1831), an admission ticket to a Royal Academy event, a letter to Robert P. Smith, dated November 8, 1834, declining a dinner invitation and including a toast for the dinner, two checks from the Bank of the United States, a letter to an engraver about copying a painting, a note about recanvassing and repainting an early Sully portrait (1854), a letter to M. Carey discussing his brother's ability as an artist with mentions of Washington Allston, and a receipt for a frame made by M. Williamson.
A card file that indexes names of people, places, and objects in the Sully letter books has been created; there is a separate file for each volume. Indexes to personal names only is appended to the finding aid, as is a summary of the contents of each of the 28 letters.
A summary of contents has also been compiled for
Sullys' memoirs. A portion of the memoirs
was published as Hints to Young Painters
and Processes of Portrait Painting after Sully's death. A copy is in the Rare Book Room (RBR ND1262
S95).
ORGANIZATION
There is no particular order to the items in the
collection.
PROVENANCE
Acquired from various sources.
ACCESS
POINTS
People:
Sartain,
John, 1808-1897.
Sully
family.
Topics:
Art
criticism.
Portrait
painting, American.
Portrait
painting - 19th century.
Inventories
of decedents' estates.
Inheritance
and succession.
Artists'
tools.
Artists'
materials.
Artists
- Social life and customs.
Painting,
Modern - 19th century - History.
Letters.
Estate
records.
Inventories.
Checks.
Receipts.
Artists.
Painters.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location:
17 A 4
Folder 1:
56 x 13.6.1 Inventory
and appraisal of Sully’s possessions at his death, 1872. Also includes a list of bequests to various
people of art objects and related tools such as brushes, palettes, etc. His daughters received money.
56
x 13.6.2a-b Codicils to will of Thomas Sully, 1865-1866.
Folder 2:
65 x 76
Folder 3:
65
x 98 Sully's
admission ticket to the
68 x 48 Two checks from the Bank of the
Folder
4:
68 x 17.4
Sully sends his regrets to
Richard P. Smith on
68x152 Letter
to Mr. Hart from Sully,
73 x 190 Letter regarding a painting that an
unidentified engraver [John Sartain, perhaps] would like to copy, 1847. Sully suggests a painting of a child asleep
with a rosebud.
74 x 421 Letter from Sully to M. Carey, 1834,
discussing Carey's brother as an artist.
He also mentions Washington Allston.
78 x 5 Letter from Sully to "My dear
Koecker" on recanvassing and repairing a portrait, 1854.
79 x 299 Receipt for a frame, signed by Sully.
Ph1343 Note
to General Nicholas Ridgely about a portrait which Mr. Peale is to varnish and
the frame for the portrait,
on
same sheet: receipt signed by Rembrandt Peale, acknowledging Ridgely’s payment,
photograph
of original document at Hampton House,
Folder
5:
69x46 Group
of letters to John Sartain,
.1 May 28, 1844. concerns Mr. Wilcock's agreement of terms for
and engraving of the “Hoqua”; asks for criticism of new painting.
.2 March
16, 1858. Sully declines an invitation
to be on a committee representing the
.3 March
19, 1865. Requests West portrait to
varnish while the
.4
.5
.6
November 28, n.y. Sully thanks Sartain for loan of picture.
.7 n.d. Letter to Mr. and Miss Sartain from
Sully's daughter, Blanche, requesting they accept a bust of Venus D'Arles owned
by her father.
Folders 6 and 7:
84 x 130.1 - .2. Two
volumes of manuscripts containing the text of letters Sully and Blanche wrote
to family in
A
summary of the letters and indexes to the names mentioned in the letters (an
index for each volume) are appended to this finding aid.
Folder 8:
88x215.7, .12, .13, .25 Four small engravings of Sully paintings by various
engravers, all depicting children.
Folder 9:
[unnumbered]
Photocopy of typescript entitled
“Thomas Sully's Hints for Pictures,” noted as having been “copied
August-September 1921, from the original manuscript in the possession of Mrs.
M.H. Sully,
Folder 10:
91 x 19 “Memoirs of the Professional Life of
Thomas Sully…”
Thomas Sully's memoirs cover two areas of his
professional life: the techniques of his artistry and his recollections of some
of the painters that he knew. In the
preface to this manuscript, Sully writes that through his work as an artist, he
collected hints and gained experiences that he wanted to pass on to other
painters. Among the painting techniques
that Sully wrote about were the most important facial features that a portrait
needed to highlight, how to paint backgrounds, the usefulness of sketching and
modelling in clay for the painter, and how to most effectively arrange a
palette. Sully reconstructs a palette
that he considered "the best I have tried" and another that he
customarily used for a third portrait sitting.
Reflecting his admiration for Gilbert Stuart, Sully records two of his
palettes, one of which was designed specifically for painting flesh. Sully also addresses different ways in which
varnishes were used and provides formulae for paints and varnishes. He even includes a color chart to show how
primary colors were mixed to produce other colors. Sully used small drawings to augment his thoughts. One of his illustrations depicts John
Trumbull's small exhibition room on
Sully
comments on painters of his and other generations and critiques their work. Artists including Gilbert Stuart, Thomas
Gainsborough, Henry Fuseli, Charles Willson Peale, Benjamin West, Joshua
Reynolds, Washington Allston, Thomas Lawrence, C.R. Leslie, and J.M.W. Turner
all come under Sully's scrutiny. Of West, he notes: "I need not say how
much I reaped from the services of this good man; he treated me as if I had
been his son." Sully also remarks
on a study group in which he took part while in
In
1873, a short edited version of these memoirs, Hints to Young Painters and the Process of Portrait Painting, was
printed under Sully's name as a posthumous publication. F.T.S. Darley, Sully's grandson, was the
editor. The manuscript contains Darley's
penciled‑in editorial revisions.
After Thomas Sully's death, this manuscript was probably passed on to
his daughter, Jane Darley. F.T.S. Darley
had earlier given it to Thomas Nash of
A
typed summary of the memoir is appended to this finding aid.
The
memoir is also available on microfilm, Mic. 2930.
Related Thomas Sully items in other
collections:
57 x 18 Mrs.
Joseph
62 x 33 Norris family scrapbook (Fol. 241), in
which Sully is mentioned on pages 150, 153, and 156.
64
x 8.2 John Stevens Cogdell discusses Sully at some
length (
67
x 112.3 Sully
mentioned in a printed letter (Col. 361, Miscellaneous Letters).
67 x 121 Scrapbook
of portraits at the Union League Club,
69 x 9 Mentioned in a pamphlet of the
proceedings of the National Convention of Artists, 1858, pages 4 and 15. (Rare Book stacks N21 W31)
69 x 46.1-7
A letter to John Sartain from
Sully and daughter, Blanche, 1840s, in the John Sartain Papers (
72 x 123 Correspondence about paintings in the form of
several letters to Miss Eunice Chambers (
72x359 Lawrence
Park Papers (Col. 96), discusses Sully in work on colonial art.
81
x 453 Mentioned
in the Mantle Fielding Papers (
87 x 65 Details of Sully's friendship with
fellow artist, Jonathan Mason, Jr., in Mason's Recollections (Doc. 30).
Ph1305 Broadside announcing a meeting of the
Mic. 101 Charles N. Bancker papers, number .27:
Sully wants to paint a portrait in the Bancker collection.
Mic.
791 and reels following.
Mic.
892-894
Mentioned in Artists in
Mic.
913 Mentioned
in a dissertation on John Neagle, 1959.
Mic.
2930 “Memoirs of the Professional
Life of Thomas Sully” (acc. no. 91x19)
Acc.
91 x 19 “Memoirs
of the Professional Life of Thomas Sully…”: a page-by-page summary (original in
folder 10)
Spine
title: Private Memorandum.
Inscription
on title page: “The property of Thomas Nash,
[note:
the 1877
In
his preface, Sully wrote that through his work as an artist, he had collected
useful hints and gained experience that he wished to pass on to other painters.
Sully assembled this volume from his
memoranda, not trusting his descendants to choose what they thought was
important from the memoranda.
Page
1: Discusses early years in
Page
3: Draws Stuart's palette for painting flesh. Mastic varnish and drying oil
mixed together - called macguilp - in equal parts moistened colors. Writes
about going to
Page
5: In
Page
7: Talks about how Thomas Gainsborough's
work resembles Stuart’s. Disappointed
with Joshua Reynolds: “did not come up to my warm imagination of his
excellence.” Talks about Opie, J. S.
Copley, Thomas Lawrence, Benjamin West, Fuseli, and John Russell. Visited Miss Linwood’s rooms in
Page
9: Describes West’s house, gallery, and painting room. Of West: “I was much surprised by the ease
with which any one can obtain access to this excellent and unaffected man.
Though surrounded by visitors, he yet went on with his painting.” Ramsay Reinagle paints with oil on paper.
Describes how to prepare drying oil and mastic varnish. Repeats earlier
discussion of macguilp.
Page
11: Reports that beeswax was mixed by English painters with mastic varnish.
Writes about how Sir William Beechey tempered his colors and varnished. Sully
thought the process Beechey used for varnishing would darken the picture. Best portrait by Joshua Reynolds was Lord
Heathfield. Sir Martin Archer Shee
advised to use the simplest materials as vehicles in painting; John Trumbull
agreed.
Page
13: West’s steps: sketch on paper with middle tint with a reed pen, paint in
with burnt umber, brush with size, retouch with oils. Shee condemns the use of
yellow “oker” in painting flesh and believes glazing should be used sparingly.
West thought Correggio was an ideal colorist. Talks of colors of Titian and
Rubens.
Page
15:
Page
17: Returned to
Page
19: Allston once spoke of using colors ground in skimmed milk. “Alston preferred an old picture frame to the
glairing glitter of a new one.” Writes
about precautions to be taken before varnishing a picture. Formula for
“Painter’s Cream.” Describes how he
sent a not quite dry painting from
Page
21: Formula for egg varnish. Copies a letter written in 1820 by
Page
22 [actually the page facing 21, breaking the pattern of writing on the left
hand page only]: Letter from
Believe me that the most valuable
present you can make to a young man of real talent, is the works of Sir Joshua Reynolds,
I mean his Discourses, and his journal to the Low-countries. These, which are
in no part infested [Sully struck out the word affected and replaced it with infested]
with idle, fanciful theories, will elevate his motives to the true philosophy
of art….”
Page
23: Sketch of instrument to draw straight lines on a wet picture. Discusses where to place different parts of a
portrait on the canvas. Sully records
prices he charged for portraits from 1803-1837. Visited Allston in
Page
25: Continues with Allston visit. Notes
that he admires Reynolds. “Head of St.
Peter” the best example of Allston’s work. Sketches window of Allston’s studio in
Page
27: A picture by Velazquez of a deer
hunt is quite Titian-like. Writes about
retouching flesh tints. West noted that
while painting, artists benefited from having suggestions and criticisms from
observers who were present in the studio.
He did not advise that painters shut themselves off from visitors while
at work.
Page
29: “I think Copley is in all respects but one, equal to West. He has not so great dispatch; but he is more
correct; nor does he so often repeat his ideas.” Repeats use of skim milk in mixing colors.
Page
31: Allston’s recommendation for
painting flesh colors. “Any opinion on
the subject of painting from Alston is entitled to grave consideration.” Stuart Newton preferred portraits by .Reynolds
to those of
Page
33: Horace Walpole preferred portraits
to landscape and paintings of historical events. Johnson said that portraits
were for family and loved ones, rather than for the subject who is depicted.
Page
35: Draws skylight of
Page
37: Talks of retouching a portrait that he originally did in 1809, commenting
that his good canvas preparation meant that the paint did not crack. Records
Charles Willson Peale's mode for preparing a canvas. Writes about painting on poplar boards. Preparation of colors.
Page
39: Color chart featuring red, yellow, and blue and colors derived from mixing
them.
Page
41: Writes about facial expression and color. 1828 visit to
Page
43: Continues Rembrandt comments. Recalls a visit to the Angersteen collection.
On Trumbull: “Trumbull has applied a
coat of Bees-wax dissolved in spirits of turpentine (so that it is thick as
jelly when it becomes cold) and painted over the back of the pictures which he
executed for the Capitol at Washington; which he thinks will defend them from
the dampness of the wall.” Quotes from
Northcote’s life of Reynolds.
Page
45: Continues from Northcote. Quotes from the diary of Ennuyee about Raphael.
Page
47: 1831, from Allan Cunningham: an artist who assigns no merit to the looks of
an important individual. Mentions Stuart
Newton’s thoughts about
Page
49: Writes about painting a snow scene.
Page
51: Following Allston’s suggestion, Sully has stricken raw umber from his
palette. To
Page
53: Went to the “British Institution” and commented on a painting by Velazquez
once owned by Reynolds. Visited Cattermole,
Alfred Chalon, Healy [Thomas F. Heaphy?] (will make an excellent painter), and
Doughty.
Page
55: Doughty removes grease from paintings
using Irish potatoes, then washes and dries the painting. Meets David Wilkie. Appreciates Wilkie’s talents, but does not
admire his work. To National Gallery. Meets
W. Beechey, now 85, for the first time since 1810. Thinks Beechey's recent
works should be destroyed so that his reputation will not be tarnished.
Page
57: To Turner’s gallery. Comments on “Gala
day in
Page
59: Writes about Titian’s work.
Page
61: “A Rembrandt, notwithstanding its vulgarity, is solidly painted, careful,
and true in the colouring.” Critiques
Reynolds’ work. December 12th, to
National Gallery where two works by Correggio were disappointments.
Page
63: Writes about Reynolds’ work once
again. Portrait of a Jewish merchant by
Rembrandt is his best work in portraiture; discusses more of Rembrandt’s work. January 14, 1838, at Leslie’s looking at
facsimiles of designs for Sistine chapel, by Michelangelo.
Page
65: February 5, 1838, is varnishing day at the “British Institution.” Describes Turner varnishing his paintings.
Assesses Landseer. Goes to gallery at
Bridgewater House.
Page
67: More on Bridgewater House and its
contents: paintings by Titian, Rembrandt, Raphael.
Page
69: Writes about Landseer again: good
portraitist, but wanting in the practice of painting flesh. Visited Henry Pickersgill whose daughter
painted good miniatures. March 6, 1838:
described Reynolds pictures owned by Sir F. Baring.
Page
71: Writes about “the late Stoddard” and how he was unappreciated in his own
lifetime. Comments on Lord Ashburton's
collection. On March 9th, went to the
Sketching Club at Leslie’s. On March
14th, began
Page
73: “The owners of excellent pictures in
Page
75: Visited Mr. Evans, a pupil of
Page
77: May 4, 1838, went to National
Gallery exhibition where Landseer’s works claimed most interest. “The works of Turner grew upon me.” Attended watercolor exhibition in
Page
79:
Page
81: Continues with Peel. Impressed with
the
Page
83: Off to
Page
85: To Palais Royale where admired Horace Vernet works. Returns to
Page
87: Continues observing
Page
89: Edward Miles, an English painter of miniatures, is a good contrast with
Sully because he was not particular about keeping records on how he painted. Writes down the Italian recipe for drying
oils.
Page
91: Writes about the use of varnish and tampering with madder lake.
Page
93: Writes about the kind of white paint in use. Critiques Stuart: “Stuart
rarely excelled in painting the female face. His excellence lay chiefly in delineating strong
and vigorous character.”
Page
95: Discusses how time and fire change colors and gives the recipe for
Japanner’s gold size. Titian painted on
a red ground when doing flesh colors.
Page
97: “But the spirit of art in this country [
Page
99: In portraits, all should be kept subordinate to the face. Quotes from the memoirs of Wilkie on Reynolds
and his representation of female character.
Page
101: If a portrait is refined too much
the identify of the subject is lost. Writes about egg varnish. Explains that kit
kat is a size of a portrait [somewhat less than half-length].
Page
103: Recipe for “Painter’s Butter,” white varnish and “Incomparable varnish”
which was used by van Dyke.
Page
105: More varnish talk. Describes sittings of
Page
107: “In 1851 my present practice in painting, and has been such for many
years, the following.” Sully then
describes his process of portrait painting including sittings, technique of
canvas work, and what his palette. looked like, draws palette.
Page
109: Discusses more about his palette and colors. Describes what goes where on
his canvas.
Page
111: Depicts palette for the third sitting and writes more about the different
sittings and coloring.
[Sully
stops numbering his pages here, so all following page numbers have been assigned.]
[Page
112:] Sully writes on February 4, 1858,
from
[Page
113:] Acknowledges kindnesses of Philadelphians Richard Rush, Joseph Denny, and
Sansom Levy, the director of the Academy of the Fine Arts, who supported
Sully's idea for acquiring financial 5upport for a trip to
[Page
114:] Mr. Wilcocks, because the Academy
did not have the funds to sponsor a
[page
115:] In
[page
116:] Of West: “I need not say how much
benefit I reaped from the services of this good man; he treated me as if I had
been his son.” Discusses others met in
[Page
117:] In another hand, page is headed “Introduction.”
All other text is in Sully’s writing.
Dated September 21, 1859. Opening lines: