John Hancock 1765

John Singleton Copley painted this portrait of John Hancock using oil on canvas. Oil paint is interesting, right? Because you have to grind the pigment, mix it with oil, and then build up these delicate layers of color and texture. Think about the labor involved, and what it signifies in the context of this portrait, made when Hancock was a very wealthy merchant in colonial Boston. Every brushstroke, every carefully chosen pigment speaks to the status and authority of the sitter. Notice also the smoothness of the surface. Copley aims to capture the textures of fabric, paper, and skin with almost photographic realism. He’s showing us a world of material privilege, where even the act of writing becomes a carefully staged performance. So, next time you see an oil painting, remember it's not just about the image, it's about the materials, the making, and the social context that come together to create the artwork's full meaning.