 Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1813, Healy received encouragement from painter Thomas Sully to pursue his artistic career.After opening his own portrait studio at the age of eighteen, Healy realized that he did not have the professional skills necessary in order for him to reach his fullest potential as an artist.Because of this, in 1834, he went to Paris to study with artist Antoine Jean Gros at the École des Beaux-Arts, one of the most influential art schools in France.