A painter then is the same as a painter now, somebody that puts paint on a surface. It didn't matter if it was applied inside or outside a building or to a canvas on an easel. If the person were a rabbi, the manifest would list his profession as a teacher.
There was no requirement to have a marketable skill listed on the manifest in 1902. The only requirement was to be able to verify the occupation and other facts listed on the manifest when questioned upon arrival. All of my relatives were truthful in listing their occupations and among all the people I have found manifests for in my various trees, only one was listed as a painter. And that person continued to work as a painter after arriving.
