A Life Dedicated to Likeness: The World of James Frothingham James Frothingham, born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1786, occupies a fascinating, if often understated, position within the landscape of early 19th-century American portraiture. His story is one of dedication to craft, nurtured by both practical beginnings and the discerning eye of a master – Gilbert Stuart. Unlike many artists who followed a purely academic path from youth, Frothingham’s initial training took place not in an art academy, but within his father's chaise manufactory. This early immersion in craftsmanship instil…