Boston – A pair of portraits by Joshua Johnson (c. 1763 - c.1825), one of the earliest Black professional painters in the United States, will be offered at Bonhams Skinner's August Americana auction on August 19. This pair of portraits, offered at an estimate of $300,000 – 500,000, were debuted this past June at the opening of Bonhams Skinner's new Boston saleroom on 236 Clarendon St and were the hero of the exhibition, Unsung Makers & The New Americana. The exhibition, in collaboration with The Boston Public Art Triennial, was reflective of Bonhams Skinner's expertise in Americana while amplifying diverse narratives that challenge, expand, and redefine traditional notions of American art.

Joshua Johnson was a self-taught virtuoso of early American painting who in his own words "derived from nature and industry his knowledge of art." Born enslaved in Maryland around 1763 to a white father and a once-known enslaved Black mother, Johnson would have been freed from enslavement by 1784 and by 1796 was already listed in the Baltimore City Directory as being a portrait artist. Johnson's own circumstances as a free Black artist were uniquely complex, as throughout his career he would primary paint the white, sometimes slave-owner couples and families of Maryland.

Offered for the first time at auction after being held with the same family line for over 200 years, these portraits depict Major John Nelson Black (1787-1847) and his wife Agnes "Nancy" Meek (1778-1860). The paintings are fresh and full of life, indicative of Johnson's later and mature style, featuring his hallmark delicate depictions of lace and his dynamic use of colour. Additionally, Johnson expertly displays elegant couple with their fine furniture, jewellery, and clothing, showing them as connoisseurs of the latest fashions of the Young Republic.

Just over 80 works in total have been attributed to Johnson, and his work is prominently displayed in the in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Our department continues its long tradition of being powerhouse for Americana, and getting to work with these portraits is one of the highlights of my career" commented Elizabeth Muir, Bonhams' Senior Specialist and Head of Sale for American Furniture & Decorative Arts. "This pair of rare portraits are fresh to the market and have remained down the same family line for over 200 years. They are stunning examples of Johnson's work, and we here at Bonhams Skinner are truly honoured to be able to share Johnson's story during this sale."

Additional highlights in the sale include:

• A Holtzapffel & Co. Ornamental Turning Lathe No. 1741 and Cabinet of Accessories, estimated at $70,000 – 90,000.

• Seawanhaka, 1868 by James Bard (1815-1897), estimated at $30,000 – 50,000.

• Sailors Revelling with Harlots by Ralph Eugene Cahoon (1910-1982), estimated at $15,000 – 25,000.