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.
Küsimused ja vastused
Kas on olemas ülevaade kõigest teemadest, mida William Johnston maalis?
William Johnston teoseid saab teemade kaupa uurida tema Teemade ülevaade lehel.
Kas saan William Johnston teoseid meediumi järgi sirvida?
Lehel Kõik tehnikad on William Johnston teosed gruppitud vastavalt tehnikale.
Kas William Johnston teoste täielik nimekiri on olemas?
Kõiki William Johnston teoseid see veebileht lehel saab vaadata artisti Kõik teosed lehelt.
Kust leida William Johnston teoseid kunstisuunali grupitult?
William Johnston teoseid saab kunstniku Kõik suunad lehel sirvida kunstisuunata jaotatud kujundite kaupa.
