Examines the American years of John Singleton Copley, colonial America's premier artist. While posterity treasures Copley's American portraits, the heart and mind of the artist has remained obscured. This revealing volume examines Copley's childhood, education, and personal relationships, as well as the economic and political life of Boston during this time, to determine how and why the master portrayer of American faces grew estranged from his native land.

Examines the American years of John Singleton Copley, colonial America's premier artist. While posterity treasures Copley's American portraits, the heart and mind of the artist has remained obscured. This revealing volume examines Copley's childhood, education, and personal relationships, as well as the economic and political life of Boston during this time, to determine how and why the master portrayer of American faces grew estranged from his native land.