Portrait of Jean Terford David

According to his own inventory, the astonishingly productive Sully painted more than 2,600 works during his career. Most of these paintings were commissioned portraits, including this one of John Terford David, who had just recently married. French-born David was an American officer who served as a paymaster during the War of 1812. His rank is indicated by the fringed epaulet on his left shoulder and the lack of one on his right. In composing the portrait, Sully ingeniously positioned David's body on an angle to emphasize the single epaulet and downplay the uniform's lack of symmetry.

A vertically oriented oil painting depicts a man with light skin tone and dark, curly hair turned toward our right. Wearing a dark military jacket featuring silver epaulettes, a red collar, and a white ruffle at his neck, he wraps a wide red sash around his waist over white trousers. A sword hilt sits on our left, while his gloved left hand rests on a rock against a dark, smoky background.

Portrait of Jean Terford David

1813

Thomas Sully

(American, born England, 1783–1872)

America

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