There are untold stories of the American Revolution. We’ve highlighted many that took place on Long Island but today we follow a remarkable life that started on Long Island in the mid 18th century but wound up in the heart of empire during truly tumultuous times. 

Patience Wright was born a Quaker (and a relative of the Townsend family) in Oyster Bay. She had a talent for sculpting and her medium was the wax figure. Her museum in New York City was a popular attraction, featuring lifelike replicas of notable figures. After disaster struck, this widowed mother with four children moved to London and quickly established herself as a local celebrity. Her new museum became a destination for all walks of life. Filled with conviction for the American cause, Patience made no secret of her views and support (although she was not above a little espionage as well).

Dr. Zara Anishanslin has documented Patience’s story, along with other artists on both sides of the Atlantic who championed the Revolution, in her book The Painter’s Fire (Harvard University Press). On today’s episode, we discuss Patience’s decidedly unique personality, her Quaker upbringing, the inherent flammability of wax, and the world of London during the height of the American Revolution.

Further Research

• The Painters Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the Revolution
• Dr. Zara Anishanslin
• William Pitt and Family (Westminster Abbey)
• Thing4Things (Apple Podcasts)
• Audio Footnotes
  • “The Death of Woodhull: An American Ballad” (episode 29)
  • Kerriann Flnagan Brosky (episode 80)
• Intro Music: https://homegrownstringband.com/
• Outro music: Capering by Blue Dot Sessions CC BY-NC 4.0