Martin Folkes (1690–1754) 1740

Editor: Here we have Jacques-Antoine Dassier’s bronze medal portraying Martin Folkes, crafted around 1740. The profile view is so stately and formal. What can you tell me about how this portrait participates in the artistic and social discourse of its time? Curator: This medal isn't just a portrait; it's a carefully constructed representation of power and intellect during the Enlightenment. Think about who Martin Folkes was – a prominent scientist, antiquarian, and president of the Royal Society. The profile, a classical artistic device, speaks to a deliberate revival of Greco-Roman ideals. What do you notice about the gaze, the clothing, and inscription? Editor: Well, he's looking forward with a serious expression, he is in simple clothing. The inscription seems to be in Latin. Does this all symbolize authority and knowledge? Curator: Exactly! The Latin inscription connects him to a lineage of intellectual elites. And the seemingly "simple" clothing isn't about modesty; it’s about a specific kind of understated aristocratic authority rooted in learned societies. Do you see how the artist strategically uses these elements to portray Folkes as a figure embodying Enlightenment values? Editor: So it's not just a portrait, it's a statement about societal values and ideals related to class! That’s fascinating. I had never considered it in such intersectional ways before. Curator: Precisely! It urges us to examine the relationship between art, power, and identity, especially concerning the creation and maintenance of class identity. It makes me think about whose stories are being told and memorialized. Editor: I will look at portraits so differently now. Thank you for shifting my perspective!