Portret van Samuel Story 1799 - 1837

Editor: Here we have Charles Howard Hodges' portrait of Samuel Story, probably from sometime between 1799 and 1837. It’s a print – seemingly an engraving, using metal – and you can just feel the weight of history. The smoke in the background, the intense stare... it all seems so serious. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, Samuel Story. A controversial figure! This isn’t just a portrait; it’s a statement, deliberately channeling the stoic idealism of Neoclassicism to either aggrandize, or perhaps subtly critique, Story's role in history. Look at the clean lines, the way Hodges uses light and shadow. It's not just to depict Story’s face but to project a sense of unwavering resolve. Does it succeed, I wonder? Editor: I suppose it depends on whether you admire Story or not! What do you make of the ship battle implied by the smokey background? It seems too…vague. Almost like it's there because it needs to be there, not because it *should* be. Curator: Exactly! The backdrop is pure theatre. Hodges gives us a sense of momentous events without really showing us anything concrete. It becomes more about Story's presumed *command* of the chaos than the chaos itself. Now, consider: what is left unsaid in such a carefully constructed image? Does the idealised image cover the nuance behind Story's actions? Editor: I see your point. The portrait freezes him in a moment, maybe obscuring a more complex reality. All of this gives me a lot to consider regarding the artistic choices behind this image and how they reflect Story’s perception throughout time. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! Every stroke, every absence tells a story. Keeps us guessing, doesn’t it? Which is, perhaps, exactly what Hodges intended all along.