Daniel La Motte

Wilmington, Delaware landowner and cotton merchant Daniel la Motte appears in the latest London fashion, his stylish clothes and relaxed demeanor reflecting the current style of portraiture popular in England and Europe. Artist Thomas Sully had just completed a sojourn to London and Paris, returning to Philadelphia prepared to paint sitters like La Motte as American aristocrats. His portrait of La Motte reflects American ambitions to be a great nation, aspiring to cultural parity with the Old World.