Portrait of Sea Captain John Murphy
Object Details
- Exhibition Label
- Joshua Johnson, a self-trained artist and former slave, is the earliest documented professional African American painter. His sitters were Captain John Murphy and his wife, Irish immigrants who lived in Baltimore, where Johnson painted many merchants, seamen, and their families. In these portraits--intended to hang side-by-side--the artist delighted in fine details, from the captain's artfully arranged curls to his wife's sheer lace collar.
- Credit Line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Leonard and Paula Granoff
- Data Source
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Date
- ca. 1810
- Object number
- 1983.95.57
- Artist
- Joshua Johnson, born ca.1763-died after 1826
- Sitter
- John Murphy
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Folk Art
- Medium
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 21 1/2 x 17 1/2 in. (54.6 x 44.5 cm.)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
- Department
- Painting and Sculpture
- On View
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2nd Floor, South Wing
- Topic
- Portrait male
- Occupation\transportation\captain
- Record ID
- saam_1983.95.57
