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joshua johnson
A Pioneering American Portraitist: The Life and Art of Joshua Johnson Joshua Johnson, often hailed as the first African-American professional artist, remains a figure shrouded in mystery yet undeniably significant in the annals of early American art. Born in 1763, his life story is pieced together from fragments – advertisements, bills of sale, and the portraits themselves, which offer the most compelling evidence of his existence and…
The Lifeline
Scroll through joshua johnson's working life — artwork by artwork, chapter by chapter — from the earliest dated work to the last. Each thumbnail is pinned at its exact year on the gold axis.
Chapters — Career Periods
The ribbon is divided into shaded bands, one per career chapter. Each chapter groups joshua johnson's works by their historical period — early training, mature practice, final years.
Thumbnails — Dated Works
Every thumbnail is pinned at its precise creation year. A thin gold thread drops from the image to its exact point on the axis. Larger frames mark the artist's masterpieces by rank.
Colour Band — Movement Drift
The gradient bar beneath the axis shifts colour as the dominant art movement changes over time — from the warm golds of the early period through the deeper tones of maturity. It fills progressively as you scroll.
