John Smibert (1688-1751)
Do you think you may own a painting by John Smibert?
We perform John Smibert art authentication, appraisal, certificates of authenticity (COA), analysis, research, scientific tests, full art authentications. We will help you sell your John Smibert or we will sell it for you.
John Smibert was a Scottish born painter based in Boston, Massachusetts during the early 1700’s. Smibert was one of the leading portrait painters of his time, creating some 300 portraits of early colonial Americans in the style of the Old Masters.
Smibert initially worked as a house painter in Edinburgh as well as in London. He would also copy paintings and learned how to draw at the Academy of Sir James Thornhill while he was in London. It wasn’t until Smibert traveled to Italy around 1719 when he was able to view the works of Raphael and Titian, and was highly influenced by their style.
Smibert was eventually offered a position to teach art in Bermuda through his friend Dean Berkeley. By 1729, Smibert had immigrated to America, staying in Newport, Road Island for a short while before landing in Boston. It is thought that in 1730 Smibert assembled what was probably the first ever art show in America. That same year, Smibert married an heiress and it was then that his career finally took off.
Today, Smibert’s work is housed all over New England in public collections and private estates, including Harvard College. Today, unknown works of Smiberts’ could still be in existence in Scotland, England, Bermuda and all over New England, particularly in Boston. Still wondering about a Colonial era portrait hanging in your family home? Contact us…it could be by John Smibert.
