Artwork
Mrs. John Amory (Katherine Greene)

Mrs. John Amory (Katherine Greene) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1763 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. Mrs.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a formal portrait, the painting represents the sitter's social standing and identity within her historical context.
The work depicts Katharine Greene Amory, the wife of John Amory, presented as a portrait of a woman. Painted by John Singleton Copley in 1763, the piece identifies its main subject explicitly as Mrs. John Amory. As a formal portrait, the painting represents the sitter's social standing and identity within her historical context.
The composition focuses entirely on the individual, capturing her likeness without additional narrative elements or symbolic objects described in the available records.
History & Provenance
John Singleton Copley created the oil-on-canvas portrait Mrs. John Amory (Katherine Greene) in 1763. The work depicts Katharine Greene Amory and is currently held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The painting measures 126.68 cm in height and 101.6 cm in width.
While the specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the provided sources, the work is firmly dated to 1763 and attributed to Copley.
The portrait Mrs. John Amory (Katherine Greene) by John Singleton Copley is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The work, executed in oil on canvas in 1763, depicts Katharine Greene Amory. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available documentation, the painting remains a part of the Boston institution's holdings. No specific exhibition history or loan records are detailed in the provided sources.
Context
The portrait of Katherine Greene Amory painted by John Singleton Copley in 1763 is held in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and is recognized as an important example of colonial American portraiture. It depicts the wife of merchant John Amory and showcases Copley's early mastery of oil on canvas, combining realistic characterization with the decorative sensibilities of the period. Scholars have noted its significance within Copley's body of work and its role in illustrating the social status of elite families in pre-Revolutionary America.
The painting's provenance and exhibition history are documented in museum records, and it continues to be referenced in studies of early American art and portraiture.
Overview
Mrs. John Amory (Katherine Greene) is an oil painting created by John Singleton Copley in 1763, exemplifying the rococo style. The portrait is now part of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston's collection.
Technique & Style
Copley employed chiaroscuro to achieve depth and realism, as evident in the contrasting illumination of the subject's face and dress against a dark, cloudy backdrop. The rococo influence is seen in the delicate, intricate details such as the lace trim and pink ribbon accents.
Legacy
While specific lasting impacts of Mrs. John Amory on broader art movements are not prominently documented, it remains a characteristic example of Copley's contributions to American colonial portraiture in the rococo tradition.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an American-born British painter active in both the Thirteen Colonies and England.

















