Nineteenth-century Art Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Jonas Holman (1805–1873) was an itinerant portrait painter, who also worked as a Freewill Baptist pastor, a writer, an illustrator, and a doctor. He lived in southern Maine, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, and North Stonington, Connecticut. This essay finds seeming contradictions in Holman’s artistic life, particularly in his relationship with his patrons, and in his painting style. From a review of Holman’s work emerges a more nuanced understanding of how an American itinerant portrait painter worked during the mid-nineteenth century. This essay elaborates on the motivations behind Holman’s multiple occupations by examining in depth his work as a painter and his role as a pastor. Drawing from original research, including my investigations in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia and my location of thirty-four signed or attributed works, the essay comments on Holman’s relationship with his patrons, whose occupations ranged from sea captain, to a farmer, to tin peddler, to wagon maker, to printer and at least three sitters who were members of his Freewill Baptist congregation. His patrons thus came from disparate occupations and were not necessarily followers of the same religious practices as Holman. Further, his diverse clientele led Holman to paint in both “folk” and “realistic” styles. This finding is striking because the prevailing academic literature would suggest that painting styles are determined by regions (i.e. rural or urban environments) or artistic ability. Instead, Holman reveals that painting style can be a function of patrons’ needs and preferences, particularly for itinerant artists.