A Pioneer of American Likeness: The Life and Art of Reuben Moulthrop Reuben Moulthrop (1763–1814) occupies a fascinating, somewhat elusive position in the early landscape of American art. Born in East Haven, Connecticut, at the cusp of a nation forging its identity, he wasn’t merely a painter but a cultural entrepreneur who captivated audiences with his remarkably lifelike wax figures before gaining recognition for his sensitive and i…