Portret van Thomas Egerton 1780 - 1817

Benedictus Antonio van Assen produced this print of Thomas Egerton, son of the Earl of Bridgewater, sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Prints like this one served as an important means of circulating images of prominent figures, reinforcing existing social hierarchies. Note the inscription indicating that the print was made after an original by Peter Lely. Lely was the preeminent portraitist in England during the Restoration, and his images defined the look of the aristocracy. By referencing Lely, the print connects Egerton to a tradition of power and prestige. But it’s also interesting to consider who commissioned and purchased prints like these. Were they primarily for family members and close associates, or were they intended for a wider audience? These are the kinds of questions about patronage and reception that art historians ask to understand the full social life of images. After all, art is never made in a vacuum. It always reflects and shapes the world around it.