Deacon Robert Peckham (American, 1785 to 1877)
Born in Petersham, Massachusetts, the deacon was an artist and abolitionist active in Bolton and later Westminster, where his home, a stop on the underground railroad, still stands. Before 1828, when he was appointed Deacon of the Westminster First Congregation, he seems to have been active as a house and ornamental painter.
After 1828, he concentrated on portraiture, which, in his use of outlining and decorative patterning, shows the strong influence of his early training in trade. His work is also characterized by precise attention to details of dress, artifacts, and setting. Among his portraits were many of children. Peckham studied with Ethan Allen Greenwood (1779 to 1856), of Hubbardston, Massachusetts, from January to April of 1809.
Information courtesy of Skinner, Inc., November, 2008.