Lord Russell 1 - 1796

Francesco Bartolozzi etched this portrait of Lord Russell, a man with one eye, sometime before 1815. The missing eye is not merely a physical detail but a potent symbol, invoking the Cyclops of Greek mythology. Consider Polyphemus, the one-eyed giant blinded by Odysseus. This blinding is not just a loss of sight but a moment of vulnerability, where brute strength is overcome by intellect. The single eye, often associated with the all-seeing gaze of divine entities, here takes on a more complex, human dimension. The gaze, or lack thereof, powerfully engages our subconscious, reminding us of our vulnerabilities and strengths, a constant theme echoing across epochs. It's a motif that recurs, transformed yet familiar, in various guises throughout art history, showing how cultural symbols evolve, echoing through time.