Long overlooked by history, Joshua Johnson is now recognized as the first documented Black professional artist in the United States. Born into slavery in 1763, he was freed in his twenties after his white father recognized him. Johnson overcame what he called “insuperable obstacles” to establish himself as a premier portraitist for Baltimore’s elite. While his style features the charming flatness of early American folk art, his mastery shines through in meticulous details, from delicate lace to the seedy skin of strawberries. Though Johnson often painted the very class that held others in bondage, his work—including rare portraits of Black abolitionists—offers an intimate and layered window into the contradictions of early American society.
artnet
