William H. Simpson was an African American portraitist based in New York City. Born in 1818, Simpson showed early signs of artistic talent and broadened them through apprenticeships and training.

Simpson was fortunate enough to study under Matthew Henry Wilson, who was a professional Neoclassical portraitist. Wilson discovered his artistic talent and offered him a job as his assistant. They opened an art studio in Massachusetts that provided Simpson with a growing reputation as a portraitist.

Throughout his career, Simpson painted family and individual portraits for people all over the world. An African American writer, William Wells Brown, included Simpson in his books as “one of the most influential Africans in the West” (Fa...