This is a portrait of George Sirian, who was orphaned as a boy in 1824 while escaping war in his home of Psara, Greece. The young refugee joined USS Constitution‘s crew in May of 1827 at nine years old. He served first with the rank of boy, and then ordinary seaman. A lieutenant took Sirian under his wing and later sponsored his education and naval career. While portraits of captains and officers were more commonplace, this portrait of a ship’s boy is a rare historical glimpse of the enlisted crew.
