J. Watson worked in the mid-nineteenth century among the Philadelphia school of still-life painters. Stylistically, his work is united with that of Philadelphia's Peale family of artists, whose detailed still-lifes feature dramatic contrasts of light and dark tones. Watson endowed his paintings with a stunning realism, distinctly articulating the surface, volume, and form of each object. His precision, exquisite coloration, and decorative compositions formed alluring still-lifes that appealed to patrons and critics alike. In recent years, Watson's paintings have been sold as printed reproductions and have appeared in the collection of the Schwarz Gallery in Philadelphia.

Biography courtesy of Questroyal Fine Art, LLC, www.antiquesandfineart.com/questroyal