we are standing in a room full of portraits i john singleton copley, america's most important colonial portrait painter. i think as a look around the you can think back to the words of john adams 1817 who said when you see his portraits, you want a discourse with him, you want to asking questions and want toanswers -- you ask him questions and receive answers. in the early part of the 18th century, american early painters made ambitious but tentative efforts to capture the likeness of people on canvas because portraiture was really the only way to do that. it was the most type -- the most important type of painting in the colonies. there was a great flourishing of activity with johnson will copley that became -- with john singleton copley. are two of the first high-level portrait painters. unfortunately in some ways, but fortunately others, west he in his career to england to study where he had a incredibly successful career. he became the portrait painter to the king. copley stayed on -- stayed in boston for the first 20 years of his career. he eventually left and went to study with w

he is only a few months older than john singleton mosby.he is 15 years old, he joined the british navy. then he goes to australia, and he gets a commission, and he becomes an officer of the australian cavalry. then he goes to italy, and he served with garibaldi. and when the united states went to war, he came to the united states, and he pledged to fight for the union army. and he is the commander of the union calvary at fairfax courthouse in february and march of 1863. john singleton mosby just started conducting his operations in january, february, march of 1863, and he is becoming a thorn in their side. and someone would come and ask sir percy wyndham what did he think of mosby, and he said that mosby is nothing but a horse thief. john singleton mosby heard about that comment and said the only horses i ever captured were mounted by union cavalry, and they were armed with pistols. and john singleton mosby wanted to capture this man. make no mistake about it. but in order to get any fairfax courthouse, things had to happen. this man's name

we are standing in a room of portraits by john singleton . as he looked around the room, you can think back to the words of john adams, who said, when you see his portrait, you just want to discourse with them, as the questions, and receive answers. men show you of these substantial, realistic figures. you have a sense that they have in auccessful lives, and good place. his paintings of women are sometimes so ravishingly beautiful in their attention to fabric, texture, and the beauty this portrait. this was painted in 1763. look at the beauty of the fabric, the garlands of flowers, the lace leaves on her dress. you can see his training in fine details. there is an interesting story to this woman. veryas married to a very, wealthy man from the stripping -- shipping industry. they had a home in newport. he was very active in political affairs. in 1763, he would have accumulated so much wealth that they retired to their country estate in new hampshire, where there were 70 acres, of 11 of to greenhouses and flowers. they were happily living on thi