(From Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Thomas Sully created this sketchbook page with pen and ink, filled with figures reminiscent of classical forms. See how Sully, in his pursuit to capture an idealized form, renders the male nude with the contrapposto stance, an echo of the Doryphoros of Polykleitos. Consider the draped figure whose gesture is an unmistakable descendant of ancient orators. Note the arm, extended outwards. This is a posture that carries the weight of history, and resurfaces from Roman sculptures to Renaissance paintings. I am reminded of the 'Adlocutio', where Roman emperors addressed their troops, transmitting authority through posture. Such gestures, imbued with cultural memory, tap into our subconscious, and connect us to a lineage of expression that transcends time. It reveals how images and symbols evolve, adapt, and persist across eras.