Sir Thomas Beauchamp-Proctor, Bt 1777

Curator: Here we have Benjamin West’s imposing portrait of Sir Thomas Beauchamp-Proctor, which now resides in the Tate Collections. Editor: He looks rather…stoic, doesn’t he? Almost as if he's been carved from marble. The red curtain behind him feels like a stage, doesn't it? Curator: Yes, West was quite adept at constructing these images of power, focusing on the textures of fabrics and the subtle gradations of skin tone. His brushstrokes reveal a careful layering of paint to build up the form. The manufacture of such a piece for someone of Beauchamp-Proctor's status speaks volumes about social hierarchy. Editor: Definitely a portrait meant to project authority, wouldn’t you say? I can almost feel the weight of expectation on his shoulders… or perhaps it's just that heavy coat! Curator: Indeed. The production of this portrait was as much a social act as an artistic one. Editor: It leaves me pondering the silent narratives within, all of this power, and all of this… red. Curator: A fitting end to our observation, then, don't you think?