Art History
In colonial America, portrait paintings were highly popular. John Singleton Copley was one American portraiture painter during this time and was the first American painter to be successful within his own country. He is well-known for his painting of Paul Revere which holds significance in its location in time in relation to the events of the American Revolutions. This short essay will discuss Copley and why this painting of Paul Revere is significant.
Copley was born in 1738 in colonial America to Irish parents. At the young age of fourteen he was creating remarkable portraits of his family and those whom he knew. Evidence suggests that his early skill came from intense studying of academic art and the anatomy of the figure. Throughout his life he moved between America and Europe, painting in both areas. He eventually expanded beyond portraiture to paint historical scenes. However his legacy ultimately lies in American portraiture. He is known as one of the most influential painters of colonial America and with his accurate likenesses of subjects thought to have defined realist art in America. In his lifetime, he produced 350 works.
Copley had a talent in capturing the physical characteristics of his subjects, and by his painting, we know that Paul Revere bore remarkable resemblance to Jack Black. This is not, however, why this painting is significant. More important is the fact that it was painted before Revere was said to have completed his midnight ride. As such it portrays Revere not as an American hero but as an artisan, a silversmith. While even at the time of this painting, Revere was active in American revolutionary politics, Copley’s portrait avoids political controversy and instead focuses on the qualities of Revere as a person, qualities that in light of his legacy are made all the more important. The portrait captures the intelligence, assuredness, and authority of a craftsman proud and confident in his own work. These are all qualities that in hindsight allowed Revere to complete his role in American history. Yet they are captured in a painting that was created before Revere made his legendary ride.
Thus in the end, the significance of Copley’s painting, other than as a Jack Black look-alike, lies in its timing. The fact that Copley captured the qualities of Paul Revere the American hero in a painting that was completed before his legacy was carried out shows that these were indeed natural characteristics of Revere. In other words, Revere was not made extraordinary by his legendary midnight ride. Rather, it was his extraordinary qualities that allowed him to make the ride in the first place and to contribute to the American Revolution. As a piece, the painting serves as a record of the presence and dignity of Revere and reminds the viewer of his significance not just as an American legend but also as an artisan.
