Half-length silhouette of a young officer of the 103rd regiment 1825 - 1900

John Buncombe created this half-length silhouette of an officer of the 103rd regiment, sometime in the early 19th century. Silhouettes were popular at this time for being a cheaper, quicker alternative to painted miniatures, but there is something about this silhouette that lingers in the memory. There is the visual tension between the blacked-out face of the officer, and the details of his red coat and gold epaulettes. The bright colors and gilded details speak to the officer's status, while his face is denied any specificity. What does it mean to both highlight and erase someone’s identity simultaneously? Perhaps it gestures to the depersonalizing effects of military service. Or it could be a comment on the racial dynamics of the British military at the time. In the end, this silhouette offers a glimpse into the complex ways identity is constructed and perceived, and the emotional experience of being seen, yet obscured.