Self-Portrait

Thomas Smith's self-portrait, created circa 1680, stands as the earliest known American self-portrait and the only seventeenth-century New England portrait by a confirmed artist. Exhibiting characteristics of the Baroque style, the painting reveals Smith's self-awareness and skill in capturing his likeness with striking realism. As a Boston merchant and slave trader involved in Native American enslavement during King Philip's War, Smith's complex legacy enriches the historical context of this rare artwork. The self-portrait offers a rare glimpse into the personal and artistic identity of a early colonial figure.