George Henry Lee, 3rd Earl of Litchfield, and his Uncle the Hon. Robert Lee, Subsequently 4th Earl of Litchfield, Shooting in ‘True Blue’ Frock Coats 1744

Curator: John Wootton's canvas presents George Henry Lee, the 3rd Earl of Litchfield, and his uncle, Robert Lee, the subsequent 4th Earl, engaged in a shooting scene. The work is held at the Tate Collections. Editor: It feels...staged. Almost like a family portrait, but everyone's pretending to be engrossed in this hunt, which seems secondary to their posing. Curator: Agreed. The "True Blue" frock coats carry symbolic weight, a sartorial declaration of allegiance to the Tory party during a time of intense political division. Editor: Which in turn speaks volumes about their inherited power, wealth, and privilege. Hunting, historically, was a pastime reserved for the elite, wasn't it? A visual assertion of dominance. Curator: Absolutely. The dogs, the horses, even the land itself, all point to status and control. The landscape almost fades into the background against the portraiture. Editor: But the artifice is palpable. Knowing the historical context, it underscores the performance of power, carefully constructed and intentionally presented. Curator: Indeed. It's a fascinating insight into the visual language of class and political alignment in the 18th century. Editor: It makes you wonder about the lives, and the labor, behind that polished facade.