Early Life, Family and Training John Singleton Copley emerged from the commercial grit of colonial Boston, born in 1738. His upbringing was rooted in the maritime trade of Long Wharf, where his mother, Mary Singleton Copley, managed a shop. His father, Richard Copley, worked as a tobacco merchant. This environment provided more than just a social backdrop; it offered a direct view of the material textures and social hierarchies that would later define his visual language. He was not born into an artistic dynasty, but his proximity to the merchant class ensured he understood the value of the…