A Young Girl 1824

Thomas Sully painted this portrait, titled 'A Young Girl', in the United States during a period when access to education and cultural refinement was becoming more widespread. The image presents us with a young woman absorbed in a book; a symbol of learning and upward mobility. The emphasis on literacy and the cultivation of the mind reflects the values of a burgeoning middle class in the early 19th century. Sully was known for his portraiture of prominent figures. To study Sully’s portraits in detail, we can turn to sources such as letters, biographies, and exhibition catalogues. These give insights into the social and cultural aspirations of the time. It is through this detailed historical understanding that the meaning of the image emerges. The image is contingent upon its social and institutional context, a moment when cultural institutions were playing an increasingly important role in shaping identity.