David Johnston

David Claypoole Johnston was the first American satirical artist of note and became known as a cartoonist, printmaker, painter and actor. Of him it is written that "he was the first natively trained American to master all of the various graphic arts processes of lithography, etching, metal plate engraving and wood engraving. (wikipiedia) As an engraver of caricatures, he learned that his were too controversial to publish.

He was born in Philadelphia in 1798 and was apprenticed to Francis Kearney, a local engraver, from 1815 to 1819. Johnston may have lived in London from 1822 to 1824.

Although his first caricatures date from about 1819, his career may be said to have begun when he settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1825. He m   ...  Displaying 750 of 2226 characters.