Thomas Noel-Hill (1770–1832), 2nd Baron Berwick of Attingham 1795

Curator: This is George Romney’s portrait of Thomas Noel-Hill, the 2nd Baron Berwick of Attingham, painted in 1795. Editor: He looks like he's just been told a particularly scandalous secret. And I’m immediately drawn to the velvety darkness of his coat, sharply contrasted with that cloud of lace at his neck. Curator: The lace jabot and the powdered hair are important symbols of status in this era, weren't they? He's visually aligning himself with aristocratic norms, yet there's something… different. Editor: Different indeed! Let's think about the context. Romney was known for his quick, efficient style. And the pigment, the layering, the actual handling of the oil paint is very revealing in its own way. He seems to have used quick brushwork here to complete it fast. This speaks to the sitter's expectations and perhaps Romney's relationship to his patrons, I would say. Curator: And yet the averted gaze...is it a sign of sensitivity, unease, or even defiance, subtly challenging those norms? This was right in the middle of the French Revolution! He is projecting the image of nobility while potentially questioning it. Think of the semiotics. This symbol, this other symbol... What could this composition mean in an emerging new era? Editor: True. Though the almost hurried execution could indicate the material pressures felt even by celebrated portraitists of the time. Think of the cost of the canvas, the paints, the labor. Art, even for the elite, was embedded in a web of production and consumption. Curator: I’d argue his expression overrides the materiality of its creation. We’re drawn to ponder his internal world. Editor: It does prompt contemplation, yes. A reminder of how even portraits like this are constructed with materials. They tell very specific social stories too. Curator: Indeed. It’s in the blend of social codes and a certain… restless individuality, that Romney creates this intriguing figure, suspended between worlds. Editor: Yes, from a formal and historical point of view we could argue it brings a social depth from art, but only through examining materials, that goes much further.