Curriculum Materials: Art in America
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Image 4 John Singleton Copley Questions: |
John Singleton Copley
Because art instruction was unavailable in the colonies,
native-born John Singleton Copley taught himself to paint.
He studied ENGRAVINGS
of popular English portraits to learn about
MODELING,
COMPOSITION, poses,
and costumes. By age 20, he was a professional portraitist
in Boston. His ability to portray wealthy colonists
naturalistically, but in the manner of English aristocratic
portraits earned him success. Nonetheless, he lamented that
colonists only appreciated portraits. In England, where he
moved at the time of the American Revolution, he became
famous for large history paintings.
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