Reynold Keen 1768 - 1770

Matthew Pratt painted Reynold Keen, in oil on canvas, at an unknown date. As a portrait, this work situates Keen within the visual rhetoric of the colonial elite, yet Pratt's choices complicate a straightforward reading of power. Keen's gaze, averted and soft, contrasts with the stiff formality often seen in portraits of this era. His velvet coat, adorned with gold buttons, speaks of wealth, but it's his hand, resting delicately on the chair, that draws our attention. The lace cuff hints at refinement, yet the pose feels less assertive, more contemplative. Set against a backdrop of classical architecture and pastoral landscape, Keen’s identity seems deliberately constructed. Was this a reflection of Keen's character, or Pratt's commentary on the shifting sands of colonial identity? I find myself wondering about the untold stories behind this man's eyes, the experiences that shaped his place in a society on the cusp of revolution. The painting invites us to look beyond the surface, to consider the complexities of identity in a world undergoing profound change.