Portrait of Mrs. Barbara Baker Murphy (Wife of Sea Captain)

Item

Title
Portrait of Mrs. Barbara Baker Murphy (Wife of Sea Captain)
Description
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.
Identifier
1983.95.56
Date
1810
Creator
Johnson, Joshua
Type
Painting
Format
21 3/4 x 17 5/8 in. (55.3 x 44.8 cm.)
Rights
© 2018 Smithsonian