Copley, John Singleton
(03 July 1738–09 September 1815)
- Emily Ballew Neff
Extract
Copley, John Singleton (03 July 1738–09 September 1815), painter, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Irish immigrants Richard Copley and Mary Singleton, tobacconists. Copley’s early interest in art received stimulation from his stepfather, Peter Pelham, a successful London mezzotint engraver, whom Mary Copley married in 1748, following the death of her first husband. After Pelham’s death in 1751, Copley soon adopted his stepfather’s career as a mezzotint engraver, publishing his first portrait, ...
