About the Artist

Copley was born in Massachusetts to Irish parents. He was self-educated, and commenced his career as a portraitpainter in his native city. During the war of independence he left America and went to England. In 1774 he went to Rome, and then in 1775 came to England. In 1777 he was admitted associate of the Royal Academy; in 1783 he was made Academician on the exhibition of his picture, the Death of Chatham, In 1790 he was commissioned to paint a portrait picture of the defence of Gibraltar. Copley was a renowned portrait painter and he commisioned portraits of well known individuas at his time.