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After Treatment

Thomas Sully (1783-1872) was born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, England. In March 1792, the Sullys and their nine children immigrated to Richmond, Virginia. Sully became a professional painter at age 18. He first studied under Gilbert Stuart in Boston before moving to New York and then Philadelphia, where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Sully's 1824 portrait of John Quincy Adams, who became President within the year, brought him to the forefront of his day. The portrait may be seen in the National Gallery of Art, Washington. In 1854, the Wisconsin Historical Society commissioned Sully to carry out a copy of Gilbert Stuart's "Portrait of George Washington." The painting is recognized as the first important painting collected for the State of Wisconsin.