Portret van George Douglas-Hamilton 1742

Jacob Houbraken created this engraving of George Douglas-Hamilton, Earl of Orkney, sometime between 1698 and 1780. Houbraken was working during a period of shifting social structures and evolving notions of identity, particularly among the European elite. In this formal portrait, Douglas-Hamilton is encased in armor, framed by an ornate, decorative oval. This is a traditional visual language of power, a means of conveying status and authority. Yet, look closer, and you might notice the softness in his gaze, the slight vulnerability in his expression. How do these details challenge or complicate traditional representations of masculinity and power? Does the detailed rendering of his lace wig draw your attention to his performance of status? Ultimately, the print embodies both the grandeur and the personal complexities inherent in one's identity, inviting us to reflect on the legacies of power and representation.