William B. O'Neal 1959

Lilian Westcott Hale created this drawing of William B. O'Neal using graphite on paper. The most dominant symbols here are the eyeglasses held casually in his left hand and the ring on his little finger, reflecting status. The glasses, dangling with a certain nonchalance, harken back to earlier depictions of scholars or intellectuals. They remind one of Jan van Eyck's "Portrait of Cardinal Niccolò Albergati" where the prelate holds his own spectacles, a symbol of learning, albeit with a more pronounced solemnity. But here, the eyeglasses signal the dawn of a new era, blending intellect with modern self-assurance. Consider also the ring, a subtle emblem of power, echoing the signet rings seen in Renaissance portraits. These are a faint echo of inherited identity. Yet, its presence is less about nobility and more about an earned place in society. These symbols remind us that meaning is never fixed but always in flux, shaped by the currents of culture and individual expression. These subtle nods to history connect us through time.