Thomas Sully (1783–1872) painted some of the most dynamic personalities of the 19th century, including Queen Victoria, Thomas Jefferson, and the Marquis de Lafayette. Although he created more than two thousand portraits and subject paintings, his full production has never before been examined in depth. The child of actors, Sully’s lifelong connection to the theater informed his imagination. His portraits of 19th-century actors, celebrities, royalty, and politicians established his reputation, and would mark all his works, particularly his “fancy pictures,” portraits evoking scenes from literature, fairy tales, Shakespeare, or of his own devising. This essential introduction demonstrates how the artist interpreted the nature of painting as performance, manifested in his dazzling productions. Three essays, 160 color reproductions, and an illustrated chronology survey and elucidate his career.

Thomas Sully: Painted Performance

Arts & Photography

Soltis, Carol Eaton

Rudolph, William Keyse

Individual Artists

Other Distribution

A fascinating overview of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s unparalleled and diverse collection of works by the Peale family, America’s first artistic dynasty Active from the late 18th through the early 20th century, the Peale family was America’s first artistic dynasty. This overview of the art of the Peales documents and interprets more than 160 works in a variety of media from the renowned collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. With discussions of both internationally famous masterworks such as Charles Willson Peale’s Staircase Group and lesser-known but equally engaging pictures including Rubens Peale’s Magpie Eating Cake, Carol Eaton Soltis traces the family’s history and reveals how the Peales’ energy, innovation, and entrepreneurship paved the way for generations of American artists. Rigorously researched and generously illustrated, The Art of the Peales is an essential and wide-ranging study that considers the family’s substantial output and contextualizes their historical legacy. Examining the different ways that the Peales instructed, influenced, supported, and competed with one another, this book is full of new revelations on this extraordinary family that remained a transformative force in America’s cultural life for more than a century.

The Art of the Peales in the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Adaptations and Innovations

History & Criticism

Yale University Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Soltis, Carol Eaton. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Soltis, Carol Eaton