Joseph Coolidge 1820

Gilbert Stuart painted this portrait of Joseph Coolidge in the United States, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Stuart was well-known for his portraits of leading figures in American society, from merchants like Coolidge to presidents such as George Washington. This painting captures the visual codes of wealth and status in the early American Republic: the expensive coat, the carefully styled hair, and the confident gaze. But what does it mean for an artist to be so closely associated with powerful elites? Does it make him or her complicit in the injustices of their time? These are difficult questions. To answer them, we might look at the artist's biography, the social history of the time, and the economic structures that enabled the production and consumption of art. By exploring these questions, we can better understand the complex relationship between art, power, and society.