Charles Pratt, Baron Camden (later 1st Earl Camden) 1764 - 1802

Francesco Bartolozzi rendered this portrait of Charles Pratt, Baron Camden in delicate strokes of chalk on paper. The sitter’s powdered wig, with its elaborate curls, is a potent symbol of status and authority during the 18th century. Such wigs, initially adopted from French courtly fashion, became de rigueur for the English elite, from judges to parliamentarians. Consider how this fashion echoes across time, reminiscent perhaps of ancient Egyptian headdresses or the carefully coiffed hair of Renaissance nobility. Each era uses adornment to project power and distinction. The powdered wig, however, carried its own psychological weight. Concealing natural hair, it created an artificial persona, a mask of the establishment. Yet, this very artificiality served a purpose, reinforcing social order. As we see in Bartolozzi’s rendering, these symbols of status are never static, but continually evolve, reflecting our collective anxieties and aspirations.