[Robert Graves] 1860s

This is a photograph of Robert Graves made in the mid-19th century by John and Charles Watkins. As photography became more accessible in Victorian England, portraiture became a powerful tool for solidifying social status. Here, Graves is pictured with the tools of intellectual life: a book, a writing desk, and what looks like a pair of gloves, perhaps alluding to his status as a gentleman. The "carte de visite," as images like this were called, became a popular way to circulate one’s likeness. The Watkins studio was known for portraits of the era’s leading intellectual and artistic figures, and the very act of commissioning a photograph from such a studio announced one's belonging to this elite social group. Understanding this image requires knowledge of the Victorian class system, the history of photography, and the archives of portrait studios. It highlights how images reflect the social structures of their time, and how a seemingly simple portrait can reveal a complex web of cultural and institutional meanings.