1766 - 1854: John Brewster Jr. (USA)
A extremely popular portraitist in colonial America, John Brewster, Jr. had an important and influential career spanning four decades. He painted more than 250 images of New England's middle and upper classes, creating a fascinating historical record. He developed a personal Folk art style that went on to influence other painters of the period as well as becoming a reference point for, later, modernist experimentation with flattened perspectives.
(..)
Despite facing many obstacles as a deaf artist working in the late-18th and early-19th century, Brewster overcame these to have a successful career.
As a prominent and well-regarded figure, he consequently did much to gain acceptance for the early Deaf community, challenging stereotypes and misconceptions and playing a role in the development of Disability Art.
His achievements and advocacy also inspired other deaf artists and educators to follow in his footsteps.
Source: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/brewster-john-jr/
Harlan Lane examines the extraordinary artist John Brewster Jr., and how his memberships within multiple worlds (Puritan, Federalist elite, Deaf and Art) converged to leave an enduring legacy.
33 min., 2014
Source: https://www.theartstory.org/artist/brewster-john-jr/