Portret van Matthew Skeggs als Signor Bumbasto

Richard Houston created this mezzotint portrait of Matthew Skeggs as Signor Bumbasto sometime in the 18th century. It shows a man holding a staff and a pair of crossed swords, sitting in a chair. But it also hints at something else. The title tells us that Skeggs is in costume as a character called Signor Bumbasto. This is a reference to the theatrical culture of 18th-century England. Theatre was an important part of the social lives of those who lived in London. It was a place to see and be seen, and where social status was performed as much as the plays themselves. The Grand Tour, too, was an important feature of elite life. This was a tour of Europe that young men took to complete their education. Skeggs’s Italian nickname might be a reference to that. The portrait’s meaning is therefore contingent on the theatrical and cultural context of its time. Prints like these were often collected in albums, so examining these albums and researching 18th-century theatrical productions would give us a deeper understanding of the artwork.