Admiral John Forbes (1714–1796) 1778

George Romney painted this portrait of Admiral John Forbes, a prominent figure in the British Royal Navy, during a period of significant colonial expansion and naval conflict. Consider the implications of Forbes’s role within the British Navy, an institution deeply entwined with the exploitation of resources and the subjugation of peoples across the globe. Forbes, like many of his rank, was a man of privilege, his position a direct result of a social hierarchy that favored the aristocracy. Notice how Romney’s portrait not only immortalizes Forbes but also subtly reinforces the authority and power associated with his rank. The stern gaze, the formal naval attire adorned with gold embellishments, the very composition, speaks to a carefully constructed image of command and control. The letter the Admiral holds refers to the capture of Quebec, an incredibly violent period in North America, one in which the British expelled the French. This portrait asks us to consider the human cost of empire and the complex legacies of those who served as its architects.