America / c. 1765
Nathaniel Hurd
Nathaniel Hurd
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Nathaniel Hurd as painting (America · c. 1765).
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
The artist Copley’s in-laws were consignees for the cargo dumped during the Boston Tea Party.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits John Singleton Copley (American, born The Thirteen Colonies, 1738–1815).
The museum's collection notes: Hurd was a prominent silversmith and engraver in Boston, and the warm gaze and unforced smile in his portrait by Copley suggest the friendship between the two artists. Hurd's open-collared shirt, as well as the rakishly tilted turban that covers his shaved head in place of a ceremonial powdered wig, create an air of informality that is unusual for a portrait of this time.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtNathaniel HurdOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.