The Rev. William Atkinson, Wearing a Broad-Brimmed Hat c. 1760 - 1762

George Romney made this portrait of The Reverend William Atkinson with graphite on paper in England in the late 18th century. You can see a man dressed in a simple shirt, leaning on something, wearing a very big hat. Romney was known for his portraits of fashionable society figures, so why choose a reverend? Perhaps this was a personal connection, or maybe a statement about the shifting social landscape of the time. What did it mean to be a man of the church in this period? By studying letters, sermons, and parish records from the time, as well as the patronage books of the artist, we can begin to explore the social and institutional context that shaped this portrait. We can consider the role of the church in 18th century society, and what this drawing can reveal about its shifting power dynamics.