06/22/2026
Pride at the Norton! 🏳️🌈
Thomas Sully, the famed portrait artist, painted the likeness of Lord Byron and Queen Victoria to name a few. But, one of his favorite subjects to paint was his daughters, Blanche and Rosalie, whose portraits can be seen in the Norton’s permanent collection.
Rosalie Sully, the younger of the sisters, was an artist in her own right and learned all she knew from her famous father. In the summer of 1843, Rosalie met stage actress Charlotte Cushman while Cushman was getting her portrait painted by Rosalie's father. After their meeting, Cushman & Rosalie became romantically involved & exchanged many passionate letters. On June 1, 1844, Cushman sent Rosalie a ring for her birthday, a precursor of events to come. On July 5, 1844, Cushman wrote in her diary that she had "Slept with Rose" & on July 6, 1844, Cushman wrote that they were "married". However, their time together as a "married couple” was short-lived; Cushman left in November 1844 on an English tour, straining but not yet ending their relationship, until Rosalie found out that Cushman had started seeing someone else overseas. Upon receipt of this news, Rosalie fell into a severe depression & died a few months later in 1847 at 29 of a fever.
Text from letter of Charlotte Cushman to Rosalie Sully dated Nov 9, 1845:
"Oh. ever let your pen say what your heart prompts & you will make me happy I must manage to see more of you in securing this - or endeavoring so to do I have written today to make an arrangement to come to Sheffield. For a day or two on my way to London. If I can effect this, I will let you know. I hope I may be successful. If so I shall once more see the colour of your sweet eyes & hear your love from your own lips. I am compelled to have this & have many more things to say to you but I will have them until I hear from you again. Don't let it be long & trust me, dear one, through all time I am fondly faithfully your own
Charlotte."
Shown:
"Blanche and Rosalie Sully" by Thomas Sully (1783 - 1972) Oil on canvas, 1842
