A Life in Portraiture and Music
William Johnston was a colonial American painter born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Thomas Johnston, a japanner, and Rachel Thwing. Before establishing himself as a portraitist, he began his professional life as a musician, serving as the organist at Boston's Christ Church from 1750 to 1753. His artistic journey eventually led him to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where he lived from 1759 until 1762, and later to Connecticut. In Connecticut, he became the first painter to work extensively in the colony, serving residents in New London, New Haven, and the Hartford area.
His career eventually took him to Barbados, where he continued to work as a portraitist and received seventy-five pounds a year to play the organ. Johnston died in Bridgetown in April 1772, following a sudden illness.
Artistic Style and Legacy
Johnston's work is characterized by a style similar to his friend John Singleton Copley, often adopting similar poses. His paintings frequently utilize a three-quarter length format, and many of his backgrounds and poses were drawn from English mezzotints of the period. While his style is noted as being more linear than that of Joseph Blackburn, his portraits have historically been so similar to Copley's that at least three of his works were previously misidentified as belonging to the latter.
His notable works include:
Today, his legacy is preserved in several collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Connecticut Historical Society, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
问答详情
在哪里可以按时间顺序欣赏 William Johnston 的作品？
您可以在William Johnston的作品时间轴页面上按时间顺序查看其作品。
William Johnston 的创作时期属于哪个历史阶段？
William Johnston 的创作活跃于 Early Modern 时期，这一时期确立了艺术家在艺术史上的地位。
在哪里可以按艺术流派浏览 William Johnston 的作品？
全部流派 页面按艺术流派对 William Johnston 的作品进行了分类。
William Johnston 来自哪里？
William Johnston 出生于 British North America。
