Reverend John Williams's Portrait
The Reverend John Williams (1664-1729) was the spiritual and intellectual leader of Deerfield, Massachusetts, at the time of the 1704 raid. He was educated at Harvard College and had social connections to the power structure of Massachusetts. This portrait of a clergyman is believed to be said Williams. He wears a black gown with Geneva bands (two strips of white cloth hanging from the collar). His hair, a curly wig or his own hair, is parted near the middle in early 18th-century fashion. The 1707 date was the year of the sitter's second marriage when he was just over 40 years old. The fact that he had his portrait painted when very few people could afford to do so identified Williams as a person of importance. Few individuals from this period left visual records of themselves.
Date: circa 1707
Topic: Portraits
Materials: oil on canvas
Dimensions: H: 30.5 in.(77.4 cm.), W: 30.25 in. (76.8 cm.)
Accession #: HD 80.015