John Singleton Copley

Born in Boston in 1738 to Anglo-Irish parents, he established himself as a leading American painter by portraying the wealthy in colonial New England.¹

His stepfather, Peter Pelham, was an engraver and painter who likely taught young Copley painting and mezzotint engraving, providing the foundation for his artistic career.¹

Showing precocious talent, he painted and engraved a portrait of a minister at age 15. Before age 20, he had mastered precise anatomical drawing despite a lack of formal training.¹

A pioneer of American pastel painting, he ordered high-quality crayons from a Swiss painter in 1762, developing exceptional skills in rendering textures and emotional immediacy.¹

In 1766, his painting 'A Boy with a Flying Squirrel' was exhibited in London to great acclaim, earning him membership in the Society of Artists of Great Britain while still in America.¹

While he often lamented the lack of art in America and claimed to be self-taught, he actually built a strong academic foundation through Boston's craftsman culture and fine prints.¹

He moved to London in 1774 and never returned to America. In London, he enjoyed significant success as a portraitist for two decades, solidifying his international reputation.¹

In London, he expanded into large-scale history paintings, innovating the genre by depicting modern subjects in contemporary dress rather than classical attire.¹

Despite his earlier success, Copley's later years were marked by declining popularity and financial struggle; he died in London in 1815, heavily in debt.¹