Sully's painting of Washington was too big

Passage of the Delaware (1819), inset: portrait of artist John Sully

It is the birthday of painter Thomas Sully (1783), who is remembered for his portraits of prominent Americans, including John Quincy Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, and James K. Polk. He also painted Marquis de Lafayette and Queen Victoria. Although he was well known for his portraits, Sully also painted landscapes and historical scenes. Among the best known is Passage of the Delaware (1819), which depicts Gen. George Washington during the American Revolution. He originally created the Washington painting for the North Carolina state house but it was too large for the space (did no one think to measure?) so he sent the painting on tour and it was eventually purchased by Boston gallery owner John Doggett. It now hangs in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.