William M. S. Doyle

William Doyle began his career manufacturing wallpaper, but soon learned to cut silhouettes, paint miniatures, and make portraits in pastel. He went into business with Henry Williams as Williams & Doyle in Boston, who advertised themselves as “Miniature and Portrait Painters at the Museum; where profiles are correctly cut.” Their studio was in the Columbian Museum, which housed an array of portraits, wax sculptures, and natural history displays. In 1806 he became one of the proprietors of the museum, and continued to paint prominent Bostonians from his studio.