Sarah Siddons (1755–1831) 1784

William Hamilton painted this oil portrait of Sarah Siddons, the renowned tragic actress, sometime in the late 18th century. The canvas, pre-primed and likely mass-produced, reflects the growing market for art materials during this era. Look closely, and you'll notice the thin, fluid strokes that build up Siddons's face and form. Hamilton's technique allows the light to interact with the paint, giving her skin a delicate luminosity. The pigment itself was made from a mix of finely ground minerals and oils, processed by skilled artisans. The way Hamilton has handled the material, almost sketch-like, gives a sense of immediacy, as though capturing Siddons in a fleeting moment of contemplation. The artist is not just representing a famous face, but also engaging with the wider social currents of labor, class, and consumption. This portrait reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward images are the result of complex processes of making, rooted in the material culture of their time.