Exhibition Guide

Born to an enslaved mother and purchased and freed by his white father in 1782, Johnson is one of the first recognized African American painters. Johnson here depicts Charles holding a toy gun. In early 19th-century American culture, such toys—common in portraits of boys from this period—were thought to inspire courage and self-reliance through outdoor play, highly valued qualities in the newly independent republic. Johnson’s painting style, characterized by the parted curtain, idealized exterior view, and detailed rendering of clothing and accessories, is typical of portrait painters of the era. Unlike many of his white peers, however, he did not travel widely in search of clients. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 limited travel even for free African Americans, who risked abduction. City records suggest that Johnson remained in Baltimore at least until 1824, supported by the steady patronage of local families.