A Head Keeper, Windsor Castle 1826

John Frederick Lewis created this sketch of “A Head Keeper, Windsor Castle” in 1826. Here, the artist portrays a man holding a glass bottle in his right hand while wearing a top hat and jacket with a bow tie. The term "Head Keeper" would indicate that the man in the image had an important role within the grounds of Windsor Castle. It’s interesting to consider how Lewis positions the man. He is not presented in the manner of the upper class. He doesn’t stand erect, the colors are muted, and the image looks more like a quick sketch than a formal portrait. This might reflect the changing social attitudes of the time and a growing interest in the lives of ordinary people. To fully understand this work, we might research the social hierarchy within Windsor Castle in the 1820s, read historical accounts of the period, or study other artworks that depict working-class individuals. It's through this kind of contextual analysis that we can truly appreciate the social commentary embedded in Lewis's sketch.