Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich 1913

Anders Zorn painted this portrait of Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich, an American politician, in oil. Although the artwork is undated, Zorn's signature on the upper-right corner dates it to 1908. The portrait reveals the codes and values of early 20th-century American politics. The man’s sartorial choices display the sobriety and conservative values of the Republican Party. It would be worthwhile to consider the institutional histories of the Senate and the role that powerful figures like Aldrich played in shaping policies on tariffs and banking. Did Zorn offer any kind of critique through his artistic choices? To understand the work more fully, we might consult archives, political papers, and biographies. The meaning of this work lies in the intersection of artistic representation and the institutional context in which power operates.