Evening star., 1941-09-28
Distinguished Early American Painters
Are Represented in National Gallery
Current Exhibition
Shows Skill in
Portraiture
By Leila Mechlir.


visitors who, after seeing the paint
inps in the permanent collection on
the main floor, seek out the loan
exhibition of portraits by early
American artists in the study gal
leries. which are level with the
street, will not fail to note a rather
striking resemblance between the
paintings by Thomas Sully and
those of Gilbert Stuart, reviewed IN
these columns last week.
This Is not so strange as 1t might
seem, for Sully assiduously studied
Stuart's work and learned much
from him, although not counted as
a student. Also, his art was, TO an
extent, based on that OF Lawrence,
the great British painter, who was at
his height when Stuart likewise hao
q home and studio in London. Law
renee, Stuart and Sully, all three.
painted thinly, never overlooking
their canvases with pigment, blend
ed their colors with subtlety, and
kept them fresh and clean. A close
inspection of any of the canvases by
these artists will however, show
that. in each instance, the painter
worked with utmost skill, born OF
knowledge. The work is not so SIM
nile as. at a glance, one might sur
mise.
Distinguished Work.
There are six paintings by Sully IN
the current exhibition. OF first i'm
portance is the half-length OF MAI
Thomas Biddle. U. S. A., comnlls-
stoned In 1914 and undoubtedly
painted about then, at the age OF
"a This is a distinguished work,
well posed, fortnight, distinctly
personal. The face has flrmness as
well as nobility, and behind the
keen eyes there is thought.
Beside this. to the right, hangs a
small head of Ann Biddle Hopkin-
son. daughter of Charles Biddle and
wife of Francis Hopkinson. painted
In Philadelphia 20 years later, but
with undiminished enthusiasm ana
equal ease. There is great lowell
ness in this Interpretation OF an
eristocratic young woman VINO
praced Philadelphia society more
than a century ago. A round hat
with brim, tipped to the side ana
draped. as it were, with long light
feathers, lends picturesqueness
which. no doubt. the painter found
congenial. But it is the color of the
skin and the way the face Is painted
which makes this work especially
memorable.
To the left of Maj Biddle is a
portrait by the same painter OF the
charming lady's husband, grandson
of a signer of the Declaration Of
independence and son Of the COM
poser of Hail Columbia. Also
painted in 1884, the two may have
been intended as pair.
Three more portraits by Sully
hang on the opposite wall. In the
center is one of Abraham KNITTING,
Philadelphia merchant. which. in
strength of Characterization and
forceful brushwork, compare, most
favorably with its vis-a-vis, that OF
Mai. Biddle To the right of this
Is a head of Andrew Jackson, broadly
and sketchily rendered-presumably
the original study for the full-length
portrait now in the Corcoran Gal
lery of Art, which, like Stuarts
Washington, has been given the
stamp of authority. To the left is
portrait of John Quincy Adams,
sixth President of the United States,
painted in Washington in 1924. In
this the color is distinctly too pink,
as it is to an even greater degree IN
a group picture hanging in one OF
the galleries above stairs, loan
from the Chester Dale Collection.
Why some of Sully's works are
marred by this superf1uous use OF
pink. and not others, Is hard to say.
POSSIBLY. at one time, he employed
a color which was not chemically
pure and altered with time, doml-
mating those with which 1t had oeen
mixed. Certainly, no trace OF 1t Is
to be found in the five other can
vases by him in this exhibition
Sully was as extraordinary man
As he was a painter. He was born
In Lincolnshire, England, IN l1o3.
His parents were actors. and IN l19z
brought their family to this country
because of an invitation to join the
staff of the Charleston Is. c.
Theater. In Charleston young
sullv met Charles Fraser, later 10
win renown as painter OF mlnia--
lures. The boys became great
friends, and played and made draw
ings together. In 1901 Sully went
to Norfolk to join his older brother
Lawrence, who had taken up mlnla-
ture painting, at which he was max
ing a very slender living. From
Norfolk. they went together to Rich
mond, where Lawrence died. after
which Thomas took over the re-
sponsibility of his family, later
marrying the widow, and never fail
Ing in his duty to his nieces and
nephews, who thus became his STEP
children At one time it seemed as
though this care would forever pre-
vent his pursuit of art. but, in spite
of many sacrifices and delays, he
succeeded exceptionally.
1t is said to have been a portrait