From Slave to "Self-Taught Genius": Joshua Johnson the Fells Point Portraitist
Joshua Johnson is recognized as one of the first professional African American portraitists in the United States. An interesting aspect of his work in the early Republic was the patronage he received from the newly emerging merchant class in Baltimore during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In this behind-the-scenes conversation with Mark Letzer, President & CEO of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, learn more about the people Johnson painted in his Fells Point community, and explore the nationally significant collection of Joshua Johnson portraits at MCHC.