Archibald Campbell Fraser (1736-1815) 1795

Curator: This is James Tassie's portrait of Archibald Campbell Fraser. The miniature, sculpted in glass paste, captures Fraser in profile. It has a certain austerity, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely, the clean lines and the stark white against the dark background give it a stoic, almost detached feel. Who was Fraser? Curator: Archibald Campbell Fraser was a prominent figure; the glass paste medium was quite popular for depicting elites. The choice of material reinforces that sense of status, doesn’t it? Editor: It's interesting to consider how these miniatures circulated; how they acted as tokens of power and connection. The deliberate act of commissioning this sort of portrait speaks volumes, even now. Curator: Indeed, these objects functioned as visual representations of power dynamics and social networks in the 18th century. Editor: This little sculpture offers so much for interpreting society’s elite, and its relationship to power. Curator: It’s fascinating how a small object can hold such rich insights.