Tailpiece, silhouette of a king in procession with courtiers and page 1893

John Bennett made this silhouette of a king in procession with courtiers and pages in the late nineteenth century. The technique of silhouette-making, cutting shapes from dark paper, was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries as a relatively inexpensive way to capture likenesses. This particular example shows the processional form in exquisite detail; the figures are all linked together, connected by garlands carried by the pages. What makes this silhouette so compelling is the way Bennett has played with the limitations of the medium. He's used the stark contrast between black and white to emphasize the shapes and forms of the figures, creating a lively composition. This mode of representation allowed for a democratization of portraiture, but here, Bennett deploys it to depict a royal scene. The result is a fascinating blend of accessibility and aristocratic subject matter, nodding to the changing social landscape of the time.