Joseph Blackburn (painter)

Joseph Blackburn (c. 1705 – c. 1778) was an English portrait painter who was active primarily in Bermuda and colonial America during the mid-18th century. He is considered one of the most important portraitists working in the American colonies before the arrival of John Singleton Copley and Charles Willson Peale.

Blackburn's early life and artistic training are largely undocumented, but stylistic evidence suggests he may have studied in London. He worked in Bermuda for several years before arriving in America in 1752. He quickly established a successful practice, working primarily in Boston but also undertaking commissions in other New England locations such as Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Blackburn's portraits are characterized by their elegant compositions, refined brushwork, and attention to detail in the depiction of fabrics and accessories. His sitters were typically members of the colonial elite, and his paintings offer valuable insights into the fashions and social customs of the period. His style blended aspects of English Baroque and Rococo painting, adapted to the tastes of his American clientele.

Blackburn's popularity waned after the arrival of Copley, whose more realistic and naturalistic style appealed to a changing American aesthetic. He left America in 1764 and returned to London, where he continued to paint portraits, though with less success than he had enjoyed in the colonies. The exact date and circumstances of his death are unknown. Blackburn's work is now held in many prominent museum collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the National Portrait Gallery, London; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.