The Rev. Edward Cage 1826

Curator: I see here a gentleman perched between the refined and the rugged—almost as if civilization is nipping at the heels of nature. Editor: Indeed. Benjamin Marshall painted this portrait of "The Rev. Edward Cage." What strikes me is the tension between the opulence of the gilded table and the rather ordinary black riding boots Cage wears. Curator: Right? It is as if he's saying, "I may be a reverend, but I'm ready to ride." The reverend is not afraid to get his boots dirty, so to speak. Editor: And observe the materials. Oil paint, laboriously applied to canvas—a process designed to elevate the sitter's status. Who paid for this, and what was the social function of displaying it? Curator: Perhaps it was a reminder of his position, a visual representation of his influence. Or maybe just a fancy way of saying, "Look at me, I exist!" Editor: Well, it worked. We are still pondering Cage’s place in the world centuries later. Curator: Here we are, indeed. And I find myself wondering if he ever imagined we would be.