John Singleton Copley
Boston-raised John Singleton Copley was instructed in art by his stepfather, the mezzotint engraver Peter Pelham. After Pelham’s death, Copley taught himself using the few resources available in colonial Boston. By the age of 20 he was widely known as a portrait painter, recognized for his technical skills and his ability to capture the details of his sitters’ clothes—his patrons were pleased with his work, for they continued to commission portraits and recommend him to family and friends.
What makes someone a patriot?
Joshua Henshaw was born in Boston and entered the mercantile profession at an early age. He rose to a position of social influence following his marriage to Elizabeth Bill, the daughter of a prosperous merchant. He served frequently as town magistrate and served on various town committees with figures such as John Hancock and Samuel Adams. Although Henshaw never achieved the fame of some of his fellow patriots, he did manage to use his position to advance colonial rights and protest British rule.
Mildred Anna Williams Collection
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