The Painter's Fire Book Talk

The American Revolution was more cosmopolitan, geographically broad, and diverse than often remembered. The familiar image of a patriot—a white man writing pamphlets or leading battles—tells only part of the story, and not always the most interesting part.
In The Painter's Fire: A Forgotten History of the Artists Who Championed the American Revolution (Harvard University Press, July 1, 2025), historian and art historian Zara Anishanslin uncovers the vital role of patriot artists, women, Black individuals, and people of mixed race who shaped the revolution through art, espionage, and activism. Working across America, London, and Paris, they inspired rebellion and helped forge a new political culture all without ever lifting a musket.