(From Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Thomas Sully created this page from a sketchbook using graphite and gray wash. A series of rapidly drawn figures and scenes are arranged in a seemingly random, yet carefully considered composition, inviting us to explore the artist's thought process. The sketches vary in their level of completion and detail. Note the contrast between the tonal blocks of gray wash and the delicate, attenuated lines, which create depth and volume. The artist's swift, energetic marks, the hatching and cross-hatching, reflect an interest in structure and form. These techniques invite us to consider the sketches not just as preparatory studies, but as autonomous works that reveal the artist's engagement with line, tone, and composition. This approach destabilizes conventional notions of the finished artwork. It challenges us to reconsider the value we place on process versus product.