In the collection given to Yale University for the Trumbull Museum, there is a set of nude sketches in a folder. These are important by themselves because they make Trumbull the first known American practitioner of an academic life study. [1] Three of these nude sketches appear to show Mrs. Trumbull reclined in poses for Trumbull to sketch. [2] These drawings are not labeled so there is no way to verify for certain that these are or are not her likeness. Theodore Sizer in 1967 and Irma Jaffe in 1975 both dated these sketches to the period between 1784 and 1785. [3] This is the timeframe that Trumbull was a student at London’s Royal Academy of Arts and fifteen years before he met Harvey. Nude models could be hired for approximately a Guinea a day or what would be nearly $100 in today’s currency then. Trumbull did hire male models for similar sketches around this time. [4] So, it is possible that these sketches could be from this period. Later, however, in 1982, the reclining female nude sketches were dated to the period of 1795-1796 by Theodore E. Stebbins Jr. [5] That moves them ten years later than previously thought. Then in 2013, through examination, Diana Strazdes revised the dates to between 1809-1813. This date range falls directly during the time that Trumbull and Harvey were living in England. Trumbull was painting Harvey’s likeness in historical and religious pieces heavily during this period, so it would follow that he would study and sketch her form.
In the past, it was believed that all of Trumbull’s nude sketches were done around the same time, the late 18th century because they were all done on the same type of paper. The paper was elephant folio, a blue-grey type of sketch paper. Trumbull was making quarters of the paper to make his sketches. Also, as he was an active student during that period, it is reasonable to assume that he would be sketching the human form. However, artists will generally sketch for the duration of their careers when preparing for a painting. Also, through Trumbull’s own words we know that he was inspired to sketch Harvey for “The Woman Caught in Adultery” painting. [6] The sketches that are now housed in the Yale library are believed to make up only a portion of what Trumbull might have sketched over his lifetime. [7]
Richard Brookhiser, in 2024, has suggested that these sketches might be inspired by Velasquez’s “The Rokeby Venus” (Fig. 33) because our model is reclining in a similar pose. [8] “The Rokeby Venus” was painted between 1599-1660 and held in a private collection in Spain. There had been no engravings done of the painting up until this point. So, it is unclear how Trumbull could have been familiar with the work to imitate it in his sketches. However, between 1809 and 1815, “The Rokeby Venus” was brought to London for sale. Trumbull knew both the art collector who purchased the painting and the art dealer who sold it. [9] It is possible through this connection that Trumbull encountered the painting, and so inspired, sketched his wife Harvey in the same pose. Trumbull’s sketches are included here because, if they do depict Harvey, they exemplify the fluid boundary between the personal and professional in the Trumbull household.
[1] Strazdes, Diana. “John Trumbull’s Nude Venus: Life Drawing and Its Intentions.” Master Drawings (2013): 49-62.
[2] Brookhiser, Richard. Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution.
[3] Strazdes, Diana. “John Trumbull’s Nude Venus: Life Drawing and Its Intentions.” Master Drawings (2013): 49-62.
[4] Brookhiser, Richard. Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution.
[5] Strazdes, Diana. “John Trumbull’s Nude Venus: Life Drawing and Its Intentions.” Master Drawings (2013): 49-62.
[6] Brookhiser, Richard. Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution.
[7] Strazdes, Diana. “John Trumbull’s Nude Venus: Life Drawing and Its Intentions.” Master Drawings (2013): 49-62.
[8] Brookhiser, Richard. Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution.
[9] Strazdes, Diana. “John Trumbull’s Nude Venus: Life Drawing and Its Intentions.” Master Drawings (2013): 49-62.
