A Life Intertwined with Colonial Currents: Joseph Wanton Sr. Joseph Wanton Sr., born in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1705, was a figure whose life epitomized the complexities of colonial America. Though not an artist in the traditional sense, his existence became interwoven with artistic representation through depictions like John Greenwood’s lively “Sea Captains Carousing,” and his extensive correspondence provides invaluable insight into the socio-political landscape of 18th-century Rhode Island. Wanton's story isn’t one of brushstrokes and canvases, but rather a narrative etched in mercantil…