John Brewster, Jr., who was unable to speak or hear, was the son of a prominent doctor in Hampton, Connecticut. He was well educated and from an early age was encouraged to pursue his artistic talent. He was trained by local artists and soon had many clients eager for his portraits. During a career that spanned four decades, he painted more than 250 portraits; a large number of them were of children.
It is frequently suggested that, because Brewster was unable to communicate in conventional ways, he was particularly sensitive to subtleties of personality. This unidentified child is posed against a plain background. He or she gazes at the viewer with large, soulful eyes, holding a peach. The sweet fruit's season is brief in New England's cool climate, so the artist may have included it to remind the viewer of the preciousness of childhood. Brewster's rendering of the child's expression is tender and convincing. His delicate paint handling and quiet colors enhance the serenity of this image and communicate the frailty and innocence of children.

This text was adapted from Carol Troyen and Janet Comey, "Children in American Art" (Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 2007, in Japanese).

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