PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG WOMAN
Pastel on paper
Charleston, South Carolina
Henrietta Johnston (c.1674-1729) The first professional woman artist in America
Circa 1710-1720
Late 18th century frames
14” x 18” Overall
Henrietta de Beaulieu Dering Johnston (c. 1674–March 9, 1729) was a portrait painter who settled in Charleston in the early years of the 18th century. She was the first professional woman artist in America. In so far is as known, she worked exclusively in pastel on paper and the majority of her portraits were taken of South Carolinians, primarily Charlestonians. Henrietta and her husband Gideon, a clergyman, arrived in Charleston in 1708. He had difficulty adjusting to the climate and experienced extremely poor health. Before his death in 1716, Gideon wrote: “were it not for the Assistance my wife gives me by drawing of Pictures…….I shou’d not have been able to live.”
Only approximately 40 of Johnston’s portraits are known and most are in museum collections including the Gibbs, Colonial Williamsburg, Winterthur, Yale and the Met.