Portrait of Lady Rachel Cavendish 

Philip Alexius de László painted this portrait of Lady Rachel Cavendish using traditional oil on canvas techniques. Look closely, and you’ll see that the illusion of skin tone is created through delicate layering. De László built up form through subtle gradations, and yet, paradoxically, the portrait also has an unfinished quality. It is the kind of quickly-rendered likeness that would have been highly sought after by elite families. Think about how labor is evident, or not, in an artwork like this. Clearly de László possessed great skill, acquired through years of training and practice. But his technique seems effortless, masking the time and labor involved. This connects to the status of his sitter: Lady Rachel Cavendish would have been expected to perform her social role with similar grace, downplaying the hard work required to maintain her position. So, in a way, the painting subtly reinforces social expectations. Ultimately, appreciating the craft of portraiture invites us to consider the relationship between skill, labor, and social class.