ORIGINAL TIMELINE
English colonists establish a permanent settlement at Jamestown.
The first documented Africans in Virginia arrive.
The first documented Africans in Virginia arrive.
Virginia becomes a royal colony.
The Moseley family emigrates from Rotterdam with at least four portraits. These may be the earliest documented portraits in Virginia.
John Custis II emigrates from Rotterdam, possibly bringing portraits of his parents with him.
Bacon’s Rebellion occurs.
A portrait of Edward Hill III is painted in England. It features a small figure of an African groom, the first documented image of an African figure in a colonial British painting.
Daniel Parke sends “ill done” portraits from Virginia to his cousin, John Evelyn, in England suggesting that there may be an artist working in Virginia who painted the Parke family.
William Fitzhugh “sets up” a painter: “Pray by the first conveniency of a London ship bound for this River send me in these things following:…Six three quartered lacker book frames for pictures well burnished, About 40 or 50 shillings worth of colours for painting wt. pencils walnut Oyl & Linseed Oyl proportionable together with half a dox. 3 quarter clothes to set up a painter.” – William Fitzhugh to John Cooper, 26 July 1698
The colony’s capitol moves from Jamestown to Williamsburg.
William Wagener (d. 1742) remembered as a “bad painter,” lives in Virginia:”I am perswaded your Lordship will be Surprized when I declare upon the Testimony of Gentlemen, who have equally at hear the Interest of Religion, that the Person I am speaking of, is much better remembered here as a bad Painter, than as a Divine.” – William Gooch to the Bishop of London, 21 May 1739
An artist, possibly Robert Dowsing, paints the Brodnax and Jaquelin families of Jamestown and Yorktown.
Large-scale settlement of the Virginia backcountry (west of the Appalachians) begins.
Charles Bridges paints in Virginia.
William Byrd II of Westover dies, leaving behind a portrait gallery featuring at least twenty-five portraits of family, friends, and officials.
The painter Robert Dowsing dies, leaving an estate containing painting supplies and “pictures or Land Skips.”
William Dering (active 1735-1751) is a dancing master and painter working in Williamsburg.
Robert Feke (ca. 1705-1752) paints the Nelsons of Yorktown.
Maryland artist John Hesselius (1728-1778) is active in Virginia, painting in a style similar to Robert Feke’s.
The city of Richmond is established.
John Custis IV dies, bequeathing “a portrait of my Negro boy John” to Ann Moody of Williamsburg. This is the only documented Virginia portrait featuring a person of African descent as the subject. John, called Jack (ca. 1733-1751), was the natural son of John Custis IV and Alice, an enslaved woman owned by Custis. Jack and Alice were freed in 1748.
Prolific artist John Wollaston (1710-1775) is active in Virginia.
Severn Eyre of the Eastern Shore is painted by the Philadelphia artist Benjamin West.
The Seven Years’ War occurs.
Maryland saddle-maker Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) sees bad portraits by an artist named “Fraziers” in Norfolk and decides to start painting.
Parliament passes the Stamp Act.
John Hesselius returns to Virginia and paints in a style similar to John Wollaston, more rococo than his previous work.
Charles Willson Peale comes to Accomack County and paints portraits while residing with the Arbuckles.
Charles Willson Peale studies in London with the Pennsylvanian artist, Benjamin West.
Henry Warren, “Limner,” is in Williamsburg and publishes an advertisement in the Virginia Gazette stating that he is available to paint “should any in this place have a mind to please their fancy with night piece, or keep in memory their families with family pieces, or anything of the like (landscapes excepted).”
Cosmo Medici paints portraits for the Briggs family.
John Durand (active 1766-1782) makes his first documented trip to Virginia.
John Hesselius returns to Virginia, painting in a more naturalistic style than before.
The Scottish artist Cosmo Alexander (1724-1773) paints portraits in Virginia.
Charles Willson Peale travels to Virginia multiples times, usually trying to work himself out of debts accrued in Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Virginia’s Committee of Correspondence forms.
John Durand returns to Virginia for the second time.
Parliament passes the Intolerable Acts.
John Durand makes his third trip to Virginia.
An artist named William Pierce advertises his services in the Virginia Gazette.
Virginia joins with twelve other mainland colonies and declares independence from England.