Portret van George Lambert 1762 - 1789

Alexander Bannerman created this print of George Lambert in England in the 18th century. Lambert was a hugely important figure in the artistic establishment of his day. He was the leading landscape painter and a founding member of the Society of Artists of Great Britain. Prints like this one played a vital role in constructing the public image of artists. It was through such images that their authority and status were established in the public mind. Notice how Lambert is holding a print of one of his paintings, an assertion of his professional identity. The print medium itself was closely tied to the art market. Bannerman was reproducing images of artworks for mass consumption. To fully understand this image, we might research the Royal Academy, its exhibition culture, and the market for prints. By doing so, we come to see art not just as a matter of individual genius but as a product of social and institutional forces.