Born: 1770, Freetown (Sierra Leone), Spojené státy americké
Art period: – 19. století
Typical colors: zemité tóny
Died: 1822
Copyright status: Public domain
early life and training
rufus hathaway, an american physician and folk art painter, was born in 1770 in freetown, massachusetts. he was the eldest of six children to asa hathaway and mary phillips, with a family background of ship carpentry. the family's frequent moves led them to settle in bristol, rhode island, in the mid-1780s. despite the unknown source of his artistic training, it is believed that hathaway worked as a decorative artist or apprentice ship-carver, eventually becoming self-taught as a painter.
artistic career
active in the vicinity of taunton, massachusetts, in 1790, rufus hathaway began painting portraits of locally prominent families upon his arrival in duxbury in 1791. his marriage to judith winsor in 1795 marked a turning point, as he took up medicine under the guidance of dr. isaac winslow of marshfield. although few works post-marriage have been documented, paintings dated as late as 1808 exist.
thirty-three portraits by hathaway are known to exist, dating almost exclusively to the years between 1790 and 1795. these works, including landscapes, portrait miniatures, and overmantels, solidify rufus hathaway's place in american folk art history.
later life and honors
with twelve children by judith, rufus hathaway became the only physician in duxbury, earning respect in his field. he was elected honorary fellow of the massachusetts medical society shortly before his death in 1822.
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