Welcome back! Today we are talking about Scipio Moorhead. He was the earliest significant Black fine artist. Moorhead was born in 1773 and was a slave who was owned by Reverand John Moorhead from Boston.
Moorhead was most famous for being commissioned by Phyllis Wheatley to paint a portrait of her that she used as the frontispiece to all her books.
Phyllis Wheatley, who was the first African American to publish a book of poems, dedicated her poem “To S.M., a young African Painter, on seeing his Works” in her book Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.
For more information on Scipio Moorhead look at the links or book below:
- Stewart, J. C. (1996). 1001 things everyone should know about African-American history. New York: Doubleday. Pages 238 -239.
- http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/scipio-moorhead-early-artist-america
- http://www.oxfordaasc.com/public/features/archive/0706/photo_essay.jsp?page=1