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A Revolution in Color: The World of John Singleton Copley
Boston in the 1740s: a bustling port at the edge of the British empire. A boy comes of age in a small wooden house along the Long Wharf, which juts into the harbor, as though reaching for London thousands of miles across the ocean. Sometime in his childhood, he learns to draw.
That boy was John Singleton Copley, who became, by the 1760s, colonial America’s premier painter. His brush captured the faces of his neighbors—ordinary men like Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams—who would become the revolutionary heroes of a new United States. Today, in museums across America, Copley’s brilliant portraits evoke patriotic fervor and rebellious optimism.
The artist, however, did not share his subjects’ politics. Copley’s nation was Britain; his capital, London. When rebellion sundered Britain’s empire, both kin and calling determined the painter’s allegiances. He sought the largest canvas for his talents and the safest home for his family. So, by the time the United States declared its independence, Copley and his kin were in London. He painted America’s revolution from a far shore, as Britain’s American War.
An intimate portrait of the artist and his extraordinary times, Jane Kamensky’s A Revolution in Color masterfully reveals the world of the American Revolution, a place in time riven by divided loyalties and tangled sympathies. Much like the world in which he lived, Copley’s life and career were marked by spectacular rises and devastating falls. But though his ambivalence cost him dearly, the painter’s achievements in both Britain and America made him a towering figure of both nations’ artistic legacies.
That boy was John Singleton Copley, who became, by the 1760s, colonial America’s premier painter. His brush captured the faces of his neighbors—ordinary men like Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams—who would become the revolutionary heroes of a new United States. Today, in museums across America, Copley’s brilliant portraits evoke patriotic fervor and rebellious optimism.
The artist, however, did not share his subjects’ politics. Copley’s nation was Britain; his capital, London. When rebellion sundered Britain’s empire, both kin and calling determined the painter’s allegiances. He sought the largest canvas for his talents and the safest home for his family. So, by the time the United States declared its independence, Copley and his kin were in London. He painted America’s revolution from a far shore, as Britain’s American War.
An intimate portrait of the artist and his extraordinary times, Jane Kamensky’s A Revolution in Color masterfully reveals the world of the American Revolution, a place in time riven by divided loyalties and tangled sympathies. Much like the world in which he lived, Copley’s life and career were marked by spectacular rises and devastating falls. But though his ambivalence cost him dearly, the painter’s achievements in both Britain and America made him a towering figure of both nations’ artistic legacies.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
December 26, 2024
We have all seen the vibrant portraits of Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and Thomas Gage as well as the imagery of Watson and the Shark, and now there is a full-length biography that pays delightful homage to the artist himself. John Singleton Copley was born in 1738, and the book sets the tone with a detailed background on his childhood home and family life in which he grew up without the guidance nor income of a father. Hisorian Jane Kamensky takes us through the very streets that he walked—whether in Boston or his travels in Europe—and she draws the reader in through her humorous and faithful characterization of Copley.
While it is not evident as to when or how young Copley decided to pick up the paintbrush for the first time, Kamensky does a fine job in her research of his adolescence to assume that as head of the house, he would have to use any talent necessary for them to live off of. As she takes us further into Copley’s life as a talented painter, she spares no time in showing all sides of his personality, from a gracious and loving husband, to a pompous self-conceited imbecile. Indeed, one of the most memorable chapters finds Copley traveling through France alongside another famous artist George Carter, and Kamensky’s comical interpretations and insight from their journals come in a steady flow:
One morning, Carter recalled, Copley threw up his hands “in a Kind of Agony… uttering, Dear, Dear, only think…” Carter feared apoplexy, but the crisis proved smaller: the man who powdered Copley’s wig had forgotten “to wipe the Dust off his shoes.” The American was selfish, quickly snatching up the best bed or the choicest morsels for himself. But if ever Carter corrected him, Copley “sulked for three days.”
The book’s strengths include showing parts of the Revolutionary War that are not often discussed, as Copley finds himself painting for King George III, British army officials, and Loyalist patrons. With her notable background and standing as Professor of History at Harvard University, Jane Kamensky aptly describes their backgrounds and conversations, and portrays Copley showing signs of regret that the Colonies ever broke away—with a sense of deep attachment to the mother country until his death in 1815. A magnificent biography full of vibrant color portraits of both Copley’s unknown and best works, the reader leaves with full knowledge of the painter’s life and the times that he depicted on canvas.
While it is not evident as to when or how young Copley decided to pick up the paintbrush for the first time, Kamensky does a fine job in her research of his adolescence to assume that as head of the house, he would have to use any talent necessary for them to live off of. As she takes us further into Copley’s life as a talented painter, she spares no time in showing all sides of his personality, from a gracious and loving husband, to a pompous self-conceited imbecile. Indeed, one of the most memorable chapters finds Copley traveling through France alongside another famous artist George Carter, and Kamensky’s comical interpretations and insight from their journals come in a steady flow:
One morning, Carter recalled, Copley threw up his hands “in a Kind of Agony… uttering, Dear, Dear, only think…” Carter feared apoplexy, but the crisis proved smaller: the man who powdered Copley’s wig had forgotten “to wipe the Dust off his shoes.” The American was selfish, quickly snatching up the best bed or the choicest morsels for himself. But if ever Carter corrected him, Copley “sulked for three days.”
The book’s strengths include showing parts of the Revolutionary War that are not often discussed, as Copley finds himself painting for King George III, British army officials, and Loyalist patrons. With her notable background and standing as Professor of History at Harvard University, Jane Kamensky aptly describes their backgrounds and conversations, and portrays Copley showing signs of regret that the Colonies ever broke away—with a sense of deep attachment to the mother country until his death in 1815. A magnificent biography full of vibrant color portraits of both Copley’s unknown and best works, the reader leaves with full knowledge of the painter’s life and the times that he depicted on canvas.
September 4, 2017
It has been a long time since I enjoyed reading a history book as much as I did A Revolution in Color by Jane Kamensky. This book tells the story of John Singleton Copley, the master-painter who came to prominence during the years of the American Revolution. It is much more than a simple biography though - the book also tells the story of Revolutionary Boston, New York City, and London as Copley moved around during his life. It looks at the world of painting and how important it was considered by most people of the time both in America and abroad. For me, this book took a period I have read a great deal about, and it make it exciting again with new information about aspects of the period I had never really thought about.
September 22, 2019
3.5 stars.
The beginning of this book is deadly dull, probably because most of Copley's early life is conjecture (WAY too frequent use of "perhaps"). However, once the American Revolution begins, it gives one a different perspective of the war that is very interesting. When the war is over, it becomes ordinary again. I suspect that the difference is that Copley moved to London at the start of the war, and the correspondence between him and his wife and other relatives gave a lot more information than was available about Copley in his youth. I wouldn't dismiss the book out of hand, but maybe start in the middle. ;)
The beginning of this book is deadly dull, probably because most of Copley's early life is conjecture (WAY too frequent use of "perhaps"). However, once the American Revolution begins, it gives one a different perspective of the war that is very interesting. When the war is over, it becomes ordinary again. I suspect that the difference is that Copley moved to London at the start of the war, and the correspondence between him and his wife and other relatives gave a lot more information than was available about Copley in his youth. I wouldn't dismiss the book out of hand, but maybe start in the middle. ;)
January 24, 2018
Jane Kamensky’s multiple award-winning biography A Revolution in Color: The World of John Singleton Copley is as sprawling and vibrant a work as the monumental history canvasses her subject produced at the height of his career. It has been some time since I enjoyed a work of non-fiction as thoroughly as I did this one. Kamensky’s exhaustive work as a researcher is apparent, but it is her masterful storytelling that makes this book such a compelling read.
The story of Copley (1738–1815), one of America’s earliest and best artists --and of his family, and of the emerging United States-- is told against the backdrop of the times and places in which he lived. The author looks uncompromisingly at the events surrounding America’s Revolution: the problematic nature of the Boston Tea Party; the often brutal treatment of loyalists before, during, and after the war; the chaotic state of affairs in America, in London, and around the world. Reading Copley’s story provides in-depth insight into the world of the visual arts of the time, and its fierce competitiveness, its rivalries. But above all this is the story of a complicated, ambitious, difficult, not always pleasant man. He strove to cement his reputation as a great artist, and longed always for financial security for his beloved family. From his poor boyhood in Boston, Copley had eventually found his way to acclaim in England, then wavered after the war as to whether he should return to the newly formed United States. Was he an American artist? Was he British? Sadly, he was to die tired and embittered, leaving his family with hardly the funds to bury him.
Kamensky’s writing is a joy, at times delightfully funny, always unapologetically honest. Her respect for Copley and his art is evident, but she does not shy away from showing his not-so-desirable, often self-sabotaging, personal traits and actions. Her account of Copley fresh from America on his Grand European Tour, and of his relationship with his thoroughly exasperated traveling companion George Carter, was hilarious. On the other hand, her descriptions of his steadfast love and concern for his family throughout his life were deeply moving.
I loved the author’s use of words, her imagery. One of my favorite lines: “…the suffering of [Copley’s wife] Sukey’s father is a constant presence, the basso ostinato beneath the family melody.” At one point, relating news received in London about the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, she speaks of “…the rebel commander George Washington,” immediately conjuring a Star Wars-ian image in my mind of the "father of our country," only to be replaced by the realization that it was in this way the citizens of London would have thought of the General in 1781.
A personal aside: I could not help but see some general parallels between Copley’s life and that of Alexander Hamilton, who rose from poverty and rose to prominence, only to experience a fall brought on in part by questionable personal actions and reactions, leaving a family deeply in debt. Like Hamilton, Copley and his reputation were also maligned by others after his death.
Happily, Copley’s native country ultimately came to embrace him as a great American artist. Jane Kamensky’s biography is a fitting and memorable tribute.
The story of Copley (1738–1815), one of America’s earliest and best artists --and of his family, and of the emerging United States-- is told against the backdrop of the times and places in which he lived. The author looks uncompromisingly at the events surrounding America’s Revolution: the problematic nature of the Boston Tea Party; the often brutal treatment of loyalists before, during, and after the war; the chaotic state of affairs in America, in London, and around the world. Reading Copley’s story provides in-depth insight into the world of the visual arts of the time, and its fierce competitiveness, its rivalries. But above all this is the story of a complicated, ambitious, difficult, not always pleasant man. He strove to cement his reputation as a great artist, and longed always for financial security for his beloved family. From his poor boyhood in Boston, Copley had eventually found his way to acclaim in England, then wavered after the war as to whether he should return to the newly formed United States. Was he an American artist? Was he British? Sadly, he was to die tired and embittered, leaving his family with hardly the funds to bury him.
Kamensky’s writing is a joy, at times delightfully funny, always unapologetically honest. Her respect for Copley and his art is evident, but she does not shy away from showing his not-so-desirable, often self-sabotaging, personal traits and actions. Her account of Copley fresh from America on his Grand European Tour, and of his relationship with his thoroughly exasperated traveling companion George Carter, was hilarious. On the other hand, her descriptions of his steadfast love and concern for his family throughout his life were deeply moving.
I loved the author’s use of words, her imagery. One of my favorite lines: “…the suffering of [Copley’s wife] Sukey’s father is a constant presence, the basso ostinato beneath the family melody.” At one point, relating news received in London about the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, she speaks of “…the rebel commander George Washington,” immediately conjuring a Star Wars-ian image in my mind of the "father of our country," only to be replaced by the realization that it was in this way the citizens of London would have thought of the General in 1781.
A personal aside: I could not help but see some general parallels between Copley’s life and that of Alexander Hamilton, who rose from poverty and rose to prominence, only to experience a fall brought on in part by questionable personal actions and reactions, leaving a family deeply in debt. Like Hamilton, Copley and his reputation were also maligned by others after his death.
Happily, Copley’s native country ultimately came to embrace him as a great American artist. Jane Kamensky’s biography is a fitting and memorable tribute.
March 22, 2024
While I was aware of the artist John Singleton Copley before I made note of this book, I might not have picked it up had I not already read Prof. Kamensky's biography of the rise and fall of the Bostonian financier Andrew Dexter, and knew about the author's knack for writing about "characters." The thing about Copley is that he accomplished so much in spite of being something of a perennial outsider, but could wind up his life feeling like a failure; at least on the financial front. For Kamensky, Copley represents something of a filter through which to view the American Revolution and the inception of American nationality, as Copley is a representative of that mentality that when push came to shove to make an active political choice, he opted to make no choice and went into exile. That exile radically changed Copley's career trajectory, but it was a mixed bag in terms of happiness. Still, if you told the man that he would be honored as an artist on both sides of the Atlantic, and his children would ascend into the social elites of London and Boston he might think that it was all worth it; though being a prickly and anxious personality he would probably find reason to quibble.
Apart from that, Kamensky also spends a great deal of time on the profession and business of art during this period; maybe a little too much. It's with these matters that she occasionally feels like she's getting lost in the weeds.
Apart from that, Kamensky also spends a great deal of time on the profession and business of art during this period; maybe a little too much. It's with these matters that she occasionally feels like she's getting lost in the weeds.
November 9, 2021
I confess that I wanted to like this book, but I didn't.
It's a biography of John Singleton Copley, the US portrait painter, whose life intersected with the American Revolution.
It's an American story of humble beginnings and lack of elite training. Nevertheless, Copley ends up highly respected in his chosen field and working in London at the end of his life.
There is an aura of triumphalism about the narration. Maybe I was just reading at bedtime and didn't want to hear a Beethoven symphony in between the lines?
I certainly admire the author as well as the way she has conceived of the topic of this book.
It's a biography of John Singleton Copley, the US portrait painter, whose life intersected with the American Revolution.
It's an American story of humble beginnings and lack of elite training. Nevertheless, Copley ends up highly respected in his chosen field and working in London at the end of his life.
There is an aura of triumphalism about the narration. Maybe I was just reading at bedtime and didn't want to hear a Beethoven symphony in between the lines?
I certainly admire the author as well as the way she has conceived of the topic of this book.
January 22, 2022
This is my favorite type of artist biography - a little bit of art historical analysis, a little bit of contextual information, a lot of detailed accounts of how this guy was kind of insufferable to be around.
March 9, 2019
Loved reading about his early life. He had to help support his family as a young boy & learned engraving & painting. If you visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the American Wing has several large scale paintings of Copley's. Excellent!
October 26, 2023
This is not just a story of an artist but a story of a family woven into a revolutionary time period. Copley’s best work was done in the Colonies before the American Revolution while later, living in England and after the influence of European artists, his work seemed to be stuck in a style that became old fashioned for the changing times. His portraits were very well done but later in England he found himself competing for money and fame with very good artists. Many early works were of the wealthy and military leaders in the Colonies. He became a successful portrait painter at age 26 yet he always sought recognition in Europe by sending paintings to London for approval. Prior to the Am. Rev., he was a go-between for his wealthy in-laws with the revolutionaries. He tried to be apolitical in his paintings as well. As things heated up in the Colonies he went on a year-long trip to Europe to see and learn from the “masters”. Meanwhile his family was in America. Once the war started he settled in England and managed to bring his family as well but risked losing property his family held in America. He painted several famous works while in England, not portraits, but was snubbed by the Royal Academy of Art in England. Often he used his family as models in paintings. With war over, he still focused on painting military events which were no-longer as popular as they had once been. It seems that later in life he was stuck in an era of painting that was seen as “old fashioned”.
Eventually his life work with lead paints and oils took a toll on his life. His legacy is that his best work was of Colonial nobility prior to the American Revolution. Later in the 1870s his work became more popular and worth a lot of money, something that had eluded him in his lifetime. An interesting, insightful read.
Eventually his life work with lead paints and oils took a toll on his life. His legacy is that his best work was of Colonial nobility prior to the American Revolution. Later in the 1870s his work became more popular and worth a lot of money, something that had eluded him in his lifetime. An interesting, insightful read.
October 19, 2025
This very interesting book. Let's just say from the outset, it could have been better-written. The story was not always easy to follow. But John Singleton Copley's story fascinates on so many levels. The book gives a social history of someone who grew up in Colonial Boston and lived through the beginnings of the American Revolution then emigrated to England. Was he a loyalist or a Patriot? I believe he did his best to remain neutral but found that impossible because of his connection to his wife's family, his father-in-law being one of the main importers of the tea thrown into the harbor in the Boston Tea Party. Yet, Copley characterized the overall conflict as a revolution from the beginning. He was an amazing portraitist, but entirely self-taught. Were his paintings better before his Grand Tour and his exposure to great art and the far more sophisticated art world of London? Yes, I think they were. Was his life in England successful? I would argue not. He did become part of the established and rarified art world, but always at the periphery. And his insistence on the grand and dramatic paintings of war or the elite began well then quickly devolved to enormous flops. And a fatal flaw in his personality was present throughout--his continual ability to rub people the wrong way. But he did transcend social class, one of his primary goals in life, and left his children solidly in the upper class. And despite his flaws, he is someone worth reading about these two-plus centuries later.
September 19, 2018
I just wrote a long review but Goodreads froze on saving it. Lost. Here is number 2.
Kamensky's research is impeccable and her writing highly readable in its narrative form. The work spans Copley's early life after arriving in colonial America as a young boy, his early development as an artist in Boston, his early career, marriage, and eventual move back to England (that at first included a few years on the continent for the grand tour) where he stayed. The reader learns a lot about his works and his decision to remain in England for the rest of his life. History has rendered Copley an icon of American Art, yet he was never truly American. The book brings a fresh perspective on the era of revolution. The world, seen though the eyes of a man who eschewed politics, yet was a painter of leaders, historical figures and events, comes to life in full color. He painted Sam Adams and Paul Revere. His legacy endures because he immortalized people though painting, prints and drawings. America claimed him posthumously, as explained in the Epilogue. Kamensky includes ample illustrations throughout the 400 or so pages, including several color reproductions on better quality paper.
I chose this book to research my ggggggg uncle Henry Pelham, who is Copleys' half brother. They shared the same mother, Mary Pelham. A widow and mother of John Singleton Copley, she married Peter Pelham (his second wife) who is my gggggggg grandfather. A portrait of Peter Pelham's gggg granddaughter Rosina Blagrove hangs in my mother's house. Rosina was my mother's great great grandmother.
Kamensky's research is impeccable and her writing highly readable in its narrative form. The work spans Copley's early life after arriving in colonial America as a young boy, his early development as an artist in Boston, his early career, marriage, and eventual move back to England (that at first included a few years on the continent for the grand tour) where he stayed. The reader learns a lot about his works and his decision to remain in England for the rest of his life. History has rendered Copley an icon of American Art, yet he was never truly American. The book brings a fresh perspective on the era of revolution. The world, seen though the eyes of a man who eschewed politics, yet was a painter of leaders, historical figures and events, comes to life in full color. He painted Sam Adams and Paul Revere. His legacy endures because he immortalized people though painting, prints and drawings. America claimed him posthumously, as explained in the Epilogue. Kamensky includes ample illustrations throughout the 400 or so pages, including several color reproductions on better quality paper.
I chose this book to research my ggggggg uncle Henry Pelham, who is Copleys' half brother. They shared the same mother, Mary Pelham. A widow and mother of John Singleton Copley, she married Peter Pelham (his second wife) who is my gggggggg grandfather. A portrait of Peter Pelham's gggg granddaughter Rosina Blagrove hangs in my mother's house. Rosina was my mother's great great grandmother.
September 15, 2020
What an interesting perspective of the U.S War of Independence. Seeing history from a different set of eyes is at least enlightening if not always persuasive. Copley's rags-to-almost-riches story is a good example of how one's talent and drive can overcome some obstacles, but Harvard historian Jane Kamensky's lengthy, detailed work shows how that talent and drive can be a double-edged sword. Most valuable to me was the insight the author delivers about how Copley worked, how he planned and executed his paintings, and especially why he painted what he did, what he included and why.
November 5, 2016
Interesting to follow his life as a painter as he deals with the stamp act and Townshend act as the taxes raise the prices of materials he needs for his art. Interesting to see a regular person dealing with the issues a civil war brings to your social and business life. Interesting to focus on an individual who chooses to leave America and his family as the war is about to begin so that he can study his art in Italy and London. Interesting book.
September 25, 2020
This book gives a full detail of the life of John Singleton Copley. Not only does it give a thorough analysis of every major painting but describes the social milieu that Copley lived in. Loyalists come across as conflicted people who loved America but feared what consequences violence could erupt. Copley, who had a prickly personality, caused some of his own dilemmas. Yet, his paintings supersede his foibles and last forever in our national treasures. A well written book.
August 18, 2017
I liked following the history of the period along with the life and career of John Singleton Copley. The author did omit some things. I read about Samuel Curwen. several times and realized she never told us who he was . I had to find that out elsewhere. I loved her description of tea on pages 195-6.
May 12, 2017
Well written, and well researched, 'A Revolution in Color' sheds light on the life of John Singleton Copley, and offers a loyalist view of the American Revolution. A worthy read for those interested in art and history.
*Received an advanced reader copy of this book through Goodreads Firstreads.
*Received an advanced reader copy of this book through Goodreads Firstreads.
March 31, 2020
Not my period, but an excellent art history biography. With that I would say it’s really a 4.1 stars. The last half, and really it’s not her fault is boring. Copley in Europe is very meh. But good book on an important painter and the society surrounding him.
July 17, 2017
I would have been happier with more color plates.
November 8, 2017
This is a wonderful and very readable biography of John Singleton Copley and a history of the turbulent times in which he lived. I enjoyed it very much.
January 16, 2018
Great history book for even those of us who diligently avoid the 1776 period.
February 28, 2019
fascinating beautifully written account of a fascinating man and important artist, essential to lovers of American and European art history. Love his paintings too.
Read
January 2, 2022Didn't finish
September 5, 2023
Not that much fun; I started skipping bits that didn't have to do with the onset of the Revolution, but that petered out so I slogged through his career but raced through the final stretch.
October 15, 2025
Brilliant!!
March 15, 2017
Fascinating biography of John Singleton Copley including the background of the American Revolution. Ironically, Copley was severely mocked for his self-promotion -- something that today would have been praised. His rivalry with Benjamin West looms large in this biography and I admit I am an unabashed Copley enthusiast despite his tendency to be a "difficult" person.
At times I found Jane Kaminsky's writing a little confusing. She has a tendency to assume the reader is on target with whatever point she is making. This meant I had to read some passages over several times and occasionally I just gave up and moved on. However, I loved the book and it has led me to revisit his paintings. Growing up, I had a reproduction of the Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mifflin hanging on my bedroom wall. Luckily, I live near enough to the MFA in Boston where usually my first stop is the Art of the Americas wing to view his wonderful portrait of John Quincy Adams.
At times I found Jane Kaminsky's writing a little confusing. She has a tendency to assume the reader is on target with whatever point she is making. This meant I had to read some passages over several times and occasionally I just gave up and moved on. However, I loved the book and it has led me to revisit his paintings. Growing up, I had a reproduction of the Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mifflin hanging on my bedroom wall. Luckily, I live near enough to the MFA in Boston where usually my first stop is the Art of the Americas wing to view his wonderful portrait of John Quincy Adams.
March 15, 2017
Raw talent and practiced gift. This is a well told story of an American portrait painter who was born a colonial but lived and died in England. This was a new view of the American Revolution from the standpoint of an artist who left America and traveled throughout Europe painting his life away while America was born and raised into a nation. Thanks to Copley's talent we have actual pictures of famous Americans.
February 7, 2017
A history of America in the mid 1700s seen through the eyes of painter, John Singleton Copley. This book was interesting because anyone who went to an American school knows about this time in our history, but this is a completely different perspective. It did not seem like a history book but more like a novel. I recommend this book to those who like historical stories. I received this book from Goodreads for free.
February 7, 2017
I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway program. A well researched and well written book. It definitely gives somewhat of a different perspective on the events surrounding and including the Revolution. I enjoyed this book.
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December 13, 2016An incredibly excellent book.
December 20, 2016
compelling and her writing kept me going. Slogging in parts but because of density of information. She makes history interesting!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews