ARTIST: Thomas Sully (American – born in England) (1783-1872 in Philadelphia)
TITLE: Portrait of Rebecca Gratz (1 of 2 portraits of her painted by Sully)
DATE: 1831
MEDIUM: Oil on canvas
LOCATION: Rosenbach Museum and Library, Philadelphia, USA
The sought after and successful English-born American artist Thomas Sully completed two portraits of this remarkable woman who was so much more than “just another pretty face.”
The seventh of 12 children born to Miriam Simon and Michael Gratz, in 1801 at the age of 20, Gratz helped establish the Female Association for Relief of Women and Children in Reduced Circumstances, which helped women whose families were suffering after the American Revolutionary War.
Fourteen years later, after seeing the need for an institution for orphans in Philadelphia, she was among those instrumental in founding the Philadelphia Orphan Asylum. Four years later, she was elected secretary of its Board. She continued to hold this office for forty years.
Under Gratz' auspices, a "Hebrew Sunday School" was started in 1838. Gratz became both its superintendent and president, assisted in developing its curriculum, and continued to serve until resigning in her 80s.
Gratz's philanthropy and efforts to help women and children brought Gratz to the attention of Sir Walter Scott; she is often reported to have been the model of Rebecca the heroine of Scott’s novel “Ivanhoe.” Today, both portraits of Gratz painted by Thomas Sully hang in the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia.
NOTE: The black surrounding the illustration is to show the frame to good advantage; it is not part of the object. A copy hangs in the DECADES Gallery in Philomena if you wish to see it inworld.
- shadow attached (may be removed)
