Joseph Badger
American, born The Thirteen Colonies, 1708–1765
Jeremiah Belknap, c. 1758
Oil on canvas
107 × 84 cm (42 ¼ × 33 in.)
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
Lacking formal training, Badger got his start painting houses and signs in Boston, then shifted his focus to accommodate the increasing market for portraits in the colonies. Jeremiah Belknap is shown here at about 7 years old, but his attire gives him the appearance of a miniature adult. The artist’s portraits of children often include fruit and animals—the ripening peach in Belknap’s right hand suggests maturation, while the dog at his feet symbolizes loyalty.
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