Joseph Carrington Cabell c. 1804

This engraving by Jean Godefroy depicts Joseph Carrington Cabell. It gives us insight into the visual culture of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Consider the sitter's profile. This view was popular in portraiture at the time, evoking classical coins and cameos, and suggesting virtue and intellect. Note the delicate lines of the engraving, capturing the details of Cabell's fashionable hairstyle and ruffled shirt. This attention to detail speaks to the growing importance of individual identity and status in post-revolutionary America. Cabell was a prominent figure in Virginia, deeply involved in politics and education. How does this portrait function within the social and political landscape of the early American Republic? To answer this question, we might consider the political and economic interests of the sitter and how he wished to be represented. By examining the print alongside historical documents, we gain a richer understanding of the man, his world, and the role of art in shaping perceptions of power and identity.