Evening star., 1945-07-08
| he Art
Word
e
American Paintings
Newly Acquired by
National Gallery
Bv Leila MechHn

can paintings. Ihey are portralt
Q of Joseph Dugan, shipping merchant
and philanthropist of Philadelphia
= by Thomas Sully, and landscape
3 'Lackawanna Valley" by George In
ness, the former a bequest from the
= late Herbert L. Pratt Of New York
the latter the gift of Mrs. Huttleson
Rogers. In both instances they were
painted when the artists were COM
paratively young but had gained full
E command of their medium and at
= tanned to full measure of their power,
The acquisition of these works at
: this time is, as Mr. Finley, director
of the National Gallery, has said
+ significant of the continuous effort
: to make the collection of American
paintings in the National Gallery
outstanding in this country" How
. we'll they stand the test of compari-
: son with the best English works of
the same period is indeed gratifying
Thomas Sally
Thomas Sully will always be re-
membered as one of the best of our
early American portrait painters
and as a man of both character and
gift; the master of his own fortunes,
as were other American painters of
his time. BY birth and heritage he
was British, having been born in
Lincolnshire, England, in 1888, Of
English parents, who, incidentally,
were actors. No doubt 1t was because
of the lively interest in the theater
In our seaboard cities that, in 1871,
induced them to come to America
with their family. They settled in
Charleston, S. c., and there Thomas
first gave evidence of ability in
drawing and made the acquaintance
of Charles Fraser, later to become
a leading American miniature paint
er.
An elder brother, Lawrence, by
1901, had settled in Norfolk, Va,
and was endeavoring, with poor sue
cess, to support himself and his
young family by pursuing this
branch of art. There, at that time,
Thomas joined him, and on his
death, shortly thereafter, assumed
responsibility for the widow and
children. This made the postpone
ment of a trip to Europe essential,
but also served as spur to endeavor.
With S400 in his pocket and $1,000
left behind to tide over his absence,
Sully set sail for England in 1906 or
1907, carrying with him valuable let
ters of introduction, among which
was one to Charles B. King, painter
of Newport, r. l., who proved a most
generous and valuable friend.
Through Kings introductions and
other kindnesses and Sully's own
diligence and thrift, the London So
journ extended to approximately
three years 1t was soon after his
return to this country in 1910 that
Sully painted the portrait Of Joseph
Dugan in Philadelphia, where he es-
tablished a residence and set up
studio.
Thomas Sully was an indefatigable
worker and left no stone unturneo
to advance his art. Before going TO
London he sought the advice OF
Gilbert Stuart, in Boston, and
greatly prof1ted thereby. Wanting
to study more carefully the painting
of another, he is known to have
commissioned from him portrait OF
a member of his own family-hls
brothers widow who had become his
wife.
Work Highly Praised
The ease and strength of the
Dugan's portrait give indication OF
Sully's artistic vigor and youthful
enthusiasm. Not only Is the paint
ing broad but the Characterization
vital. This is apparently no mere
painted image but the man him
self-a triumph of interpretative
power on the part of the painter.
Mr.. Walker, chief curator OF the
National Gallery of Art, sees in this
painting an informality OF pose and
liveliness of expression recalling the
best work of Raeburn, than which
no higher compliment could be paid.
But if what we see here was indeed
the great Scottish painters influence
from whence did it evolve? Raeburn
was abroad all the time that Sully
was in London and rarely exhibited
there. In fact, it was not until
some years later that he came into
his own in public estimation, and
then it was in his native city Edin-
burgh, where, tradition has 1t, Law
renee advised him to remain. Per-
haps both Raeburn and Sully drank
at the same spring. Certainly the
comparison is fully justified. Here
Is an interesting trail to follow
Sully died in Philadelphia in 1872.
His output was large and his repu-
tation is for all time secure.
George InneSS
George Inness was younger man
than Sully, being born at Newburgh,
N. Y, in 1926. He belonged to the
middle years of the 10th century
and thus served as a link between
the old and the new. He had long
and happy career, living until 1894,
and won many high honors as well
as affectionate regard. The "Lacka-
wanna Valley" was painted when
he was only 30 years old and many
years of activity remained to him.
At this time he had made no less
than three trips to Europe, each
time bringing back some additional
knowledge and inspiration. First
came the influence of the classical
acquired in Italy, then the ro-
manticism of Corot, whose acquaint-
ance he made in France; finally
came that of the impressionists or
plein-air painters who were realists
as well as dreamers. Mr.. Walker
finds in the "Lackawanna Valley"
the spell of Corot, evidenced, most
strongly, in the rendition Of light
sitting through clear air.
"Lackawanna Valley" was painted
under commission for the Lacka-
wanna Railroad for publicity pur-
poses-a union between art and in
dustry of which of late numerous in
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LIST 0CK & 4
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