Portret van David Lloyd George, premier van het Verenigd Koninkrijk tussen 1916 en 1922 1916 - 1922

Ernest Herbert Mills made this photo of David Lloyd George, sometime between 1916 and 1922, when he was Prime Minister. It’s interesting, isn’t it, how a photographic portrait can also be a site of inquiry? I think that Mills and George might have had a creative conversation while they were working together – a push and pull. Mills used light and shadow here to create a sense of depth. The way that his mustache is lit makes it stand out, and that’s probably intentional. I wonder if George felt insecure or self-conscious? It’s a collaboration between a portraitist and his sitter. George also had his own ideas about how he wanted to be seen, and in this image he looks serious and statesmanlike. Portraits are interesting because they embody an exchange of ideas. It reminds me of how painters riff off of each other across history, inspiring new ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling. And that’s how painting progresses, through conversation and exchange.