William Pitt, Earl of Chatham 

Editor: This exquisite bronze relief presents a profile of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, crafted by John Flaxman. I'm struck by the formality, yet something about his gaze feels intensely private. What's your take on it? Curator: Well, it’s funny you say “private.” I find portraiture so fascinating because it always tries to balance public image with personal character. Flaxman, a giant of Neoclassicism, is, I think, using the profile – that very classical form – to evoke the gravity and authority we associate with Roman emperors. The strong, clean lines, the minimal detail...it all contributes to this feeling. But, you're right, there’s something more here, a sensitivity around the eyes. Does that register with you as sadness, perhaps? Or perhaps weary contemplation? Editor: I definitely see contemplation. I wonder if the artist felt any personal connection to his subject, that could explain the touch of humanity? Curator: Oh, absolutely. An artist can't help but bring themself to a work, and that seeps into the portrayal, whether consciously or not. Looking closer at that wig – the absurd height of it – does it make you giggle, just a bit? There is humanity injected even within that detail, isn’t there? Editor: I see what you mean, I suppose art, like everything, always comes down to people expressing themselves and their reality, whatever it is, or whoever is in front of them! Curator: Indeed, and even the great Pitt, beneath the wig and the title, was a person, and Flaxman, an observer of people! I love your sense for seeing beyond the surface!