Neptune Thurston was a slave craftsman who worked in a Boston copper shop in the late 1700s. According to advertisements during this time period and location it was reported that he painted portraits.* It was even discovered that he taught artist, Gilbert Stuart how to paint heads and faces.** I’ve searched online sources for an image of Thurston’s art work and I haven’t found any works yet. I wonder if there are any surviving works or documentation out there.

If your interested in learning more about Neptune Thurston I’ve listed a few sources below that mention him. If you find anything, please share a link or image with me.

Sources:

Published works that mention Neptune Thurston

*African American Art and Artists by Samella Lewis

**History of Rhode Island By Edward Peterson

The Painter’s Chair: George Washington and the Making of American Art by Hugh Howard

Africa’s gift to America by Joel Augustus Rogers

The Genius of Gilbert Stuart by Dorinda Evans

Gilbert Stuart by Barratt and Miles

The information on this web-page is for educational and research purposes.  Article entries and images are not my own. Please review sources and links above for more information. This blog post is for educational purposes only and for sharing valuable information to others interested in the arts.

Thank you.

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