John Adams (1735-1826) 1783

Curator: Here we have John Singleton Copley's portrait of John Adams. What's your initial take? Editor: Oh, he seems terribly serious, almost severe! It’s a commanding presence, yet the backdrop feels like a stage set. Curator: Indeed. Consider Copley’s access—or lack thereof—to his sitter. The painting was likely produced in London based on sketches and descriptions, influencing the final composition. The presence of the globe and classical figure, likely added for gravitas, speak to a strategic construction of identity. Editor: I can feel the distance. It makes me wonder about the real man versus the persona Copley was tasked to create. All those symbols, the carefully placed scroll... it feels a bit like costuming. Curator: The materiality also speaks volumes. The imported pigments, the linen canvas itself—all point to transatlantic trade networks and the economics of portraiture in the 18th century. Editor: It’s fascinating how those details give the painting so much depth. Now, it's not just a portrait but a portal! Curator: Precisely, an artifact embedded in a web of social and economic relations. Editor: A serious man, indeed, but also a symbol of something so much larger than himself.