Portrait of Nathaniel Hurd - John Singleton Copley

A nineteenth-century lithographic reproduction of John Singleton Copley's portrait of the Boston silversmith Nathaniel Hurd.

This lithographic reproduction depicts Nathaniel Hurd, a prominent Boston silversmith and engraver, based on the original oil portrait by John Singleton Copley. Copley, a master of colonial American portraiture, captured the likeness of his contemporaries with a focus on material texture and psychological presence. Hurd is shown wearing a soft cap and a simple garment, a departure from the formal attire often seen in Copley's commissioned works. The composition centres on the subject, using subtle shading to define the contours of his face and the folds of his headwear.

This specific print was produced by Pendleton's Lithography in Boston for the New England Magazine. It demonstrates the nineteenth-century practice of disseminating the works of earlier colonial artists to a broader public audience through print media. The lithographic process translates Copley's original brushwork into a series of tonal gradations, maintaining the clarity of the subject's features. The inclusion of the subject's name and the printer's mark at the base provides historical context regarding the print's origin and intended circulation.

As a document of American cultural history, this portrait offers a glimpse into the social circles of pre-Revolutionary Boston. Nathaniel Hurd was a skilled craftsman, and his inclusion in the New England Magazine suggests his status within the intellectual and artistic community of the period. The print retains the character of the original painting while adapting it to the aesthetic preferences of the mid-nineteenth century. It is a fine example of how portraiture functioned as a means of recording the appearance of influential figures, ensuring their image remained accessible long after the original canvas was completed. The muted tones and clear lines make this an appropriate choice for those interested in early American history and the evolution of printmaking techniques.