Portrait of the Revd. Samuel Rastall, Dean of Killaloe, Ireland 

Joseph Wright of Derby painted this portrait of the Reverend Samuel Rastall, Dean of Killaloe, Ireland, using oil on canvas. Here, Rastall is depicted meticulously sketching a classical relief sculpture. This act of replication is more than mere artistic exercise, it's an act of cultural homage, echoing the Renaissance obsession with antiquity. The motif of the artist capturing an ancient relic recurs across centuries; consider the countless artists who have rendered the Laocoön, each time imbuing it with contemporary feeling. Rastall’s focus is telling: his gaze is intense, suggesting a deep psychological connection. The face in the relief sculpture, frozen in stone, hints at grief. Such classical themes evoke profound emotional responses, tapping into shared human experiences of loss and remembrance. Across time, these images have acted as vessels, carrying both individual and collective memories. It is a cyclical progression: loss is perceived, images capture it, and viewers relive it, ensuring the past never truly fades.