Joseph Badger

Background

Badger was born in 1708 at Charlestown, Massachussets, a son of Stephen Badger, tailor, and Mary (Kettell) Badger.

Career

He was baptized and called into full communion of the First Church of Charlestown, January 21, 1728. About 1733 Mr. and Mrs. Badger seem to have moved into Boston, for Brattle Square Church records show baptisms of four of their children, the first on January 20, 1734. Badger is recorded variously as painter and glazier, his portraiture presumably occupying only a portion of his time. Dedham town records show that he painted a house there in 1739. It is reasonably conjectured that he was poor and of slight social consequence. He died intestate in the summer of 1765, and his widow was appointed administratrix of his insolvent estate, on August 23, 1765. She later was given by the court permission to sell his small house of three rooms on the west side of Temple St. to pay his debts. An inventory set the value of his estate at £140 106. , including "a Coat-of-Arms, " "a chaise Body and Carriage" and "pots, brushes, stones, etc. "

From whom Badger learned to paint is unknown. His works were not signed. He apparently had low prices, even as estimated by eighteenth-century standards. In 1758 he received £65 each for the large portraits of Timothy Orne and wife. In 1764 he was paid by George Bray £12 for making five pictures. His talent was not that of a sensitive and highly competent painter. He had well-defined mannerisms. The heads were placed high on the canvas; in color they were often livid and unlovely. The hands were badly drawn. The best Badger portraits nevertheless have the charm of sincere, stiff, archaic work. His children are peculiarly naive. From about 1748, when Smibert's health was failing, until about 1760, when the vogue of John Singleton Copley was beginning, Badger was the principal portrait painter in Boston.

Achievements

• Joseph Badger is best known for his portraits.

Works

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Connections

He married, June 2, 1731, Katharine, daughter of Samuel and Katharine (Smith) Felch of Reading.

Father:

Stephen Badger

Mother:

Mercy Kettell

Wife:

Katharine Felch