In his early career Johnson's portraits of children and adolescents were confined to charcoal drawings of his family members, such as Harriet. But when he moved to Boston, he began to draw other children, such as the Longfellow children, in both charcoal and pastel.
See Technical Information on Johnson's Practices for a discussion of charcoal, black chalk, crayon, and pastel. —PH
MacGibeny, 2022: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow commissioned Johnson to draw portraits of himself, his family, and his friends after being impressed by Johnson's portraits of his parents, Stephen and Zilpah Longfellow. In his journal entry of January 16, 1846, he wrote, "Went to Portland where I found all pretty well. A young artist of Maine, Mr. Johnson, has taken my father and mother, in every way is excellently made.” On October 22 he wrote, "Johnson’s sketch [sic] of [Longfellow's sisters] Anne and Mary are quite charming. I am delighted with them. He is to take for me all the club. The mutual Admiration Society which I shall hang in the Hall to show people what a fine set of heads they are." Johnson was twenty-four years old when he drew Longfellow's sons Ernest and Charles. These high profile commissions in the late 1840s helped to build Johnson's reputation as a young artist in America before he went to Europe in 1849 to learn to paint.
Longfellow House catalogue record, July 9, 2014: "Rectangular bust-length portrait of Ernest W. Longfellow, age 3; head facing proper right; white highlights, pale yellow (?) highlights on garment. Oval mat. Study for pastel (LONG 546)."
Ernest Wadsworth Longfellow (1845–1921). Second son of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Frances Appleton Longfellow; brother of Charles Appleton Longfellow, with whom he was portrayed by Johnson.
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