John Wesley Jarvis: The Quintessential Portraitist of New York City Early Life and Education Career Highlights: Partnerships and Patronage Style and Technique: Capturing Character and Prestige Notable Commissions and Artistic Legacy A Complex Figure: Eccentricity and Enduring Influence Early Life and Education John Wesley Jarvis (1780 or 1781 – January 14, 1839) was born in South Shields, Durham, England—the great, great nephew of Methodist leader John Wesley. His father, a mariner, brought his family to the United States in the mid-1780s, settling in Philadelphia where Jarvis spent his…