John Wesley Jarvis (1780–1840),
was an American painter. John Wesley Jarvis (great, great nephew of Methodist leader John Wesley), was born at South Shields, England. Jarvis moved to New York in 1801 with Edward Savage. Within a year he was working on his own as an engraver. In 1803 he entered into a partnership with Joseph Wood. His partnership with Wood lasted seven years. Together they executed engravings, miniatures, and larger portraits. Jarvis had learned the technique of miniature painting from Edward Malbone; and by the time of the Jarvis/Wood partnership, he was also producing his first oil paintings. In addition, he operated a drawing school and executed inexpensive silhouette portraits. In New York City he enjoyed great popularity, though his conviviality and eccentric mode of life affected his work.