John Singleton Copley
1738–1815
Boston
John Singleton Copley grew up in Boston and became a skilled painter while still young. Before photography, a painted portrait could record a person's appearance, work, and social position. Copley made clothing, skin, wood, and silver look surprisingly real. His Boston sitters included Paul Revere and John Hancock, but they did not all share the same politics. In 1774 he left for Europe and eventually settled in London, where he also painted dramatic historical scenes. His pictures help us ask how people wanted others to see them.
You can use your device’s reading tools or read with a partner.
Find a detail. Build an idea.
- What did this person or group do? Point to a detail in the reading.
- How can making art, teaching, or caring for others change a community?
- What would you like to find out next? Which kind of source could help?
“John Singleton Copley mattered because ___. A detail that supports my idea is ___.”
Grades 6–8: dig deeper
What can a portrait reveal about a person's work or status, and what might it leave out?
Follow the evidence.
This short reading is an original classroom summary. Open the source with your teacher to check details and learn more.
Read the source: ngabiographies.org ↗Ask: Who made this source? What can it tell us? What might it leave out?