Henry Pelham Paintings

Henry Pelham was an American artist, engraver, and cartographer born in Boston in 1749. He was a half-brother to the renowned portrait painter John Singleton Copley, one of the foremost artists in colonial America. Despite not achieving the same level of fame as Copley, Pelham made his own mark in the art world, particularly through his work as an engraver.

Pelham is perhaps best known for his role in creating the image 'The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King Street'. This engraving depicted the Boston Massacre, a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary period that occurred on March 5, 1770, when British troops opened fire on a crowd of American colonists. The image became one of the most famous representations of the event and was widely distributed, inflaming public sentiment against the British.

Throughout his career, Pelham also produced maps and plans, including a map of Boston during the Revolutionary War that was noted for its detail and accuracy. His skill as a cartographer was an important contribution to the American cause during the war.

After the war, Pelham continued his work as an artist and engraver but never achieved significant financial success. He moved to Ireland for a period before returning to the United States. Pelham's contributions to American art and history were overshadowed by his more famous contemporaries, but his works remain a valuable part of the historical record. He died in 1806, leaving behind a legacy as a skilled engraver and a witness to the tumultuous events of his time.