Colonel Isaac Barre 

Gilbert Stuart likely made this portrait of Colonel Isaac Barre in the late 18th century in either Britain or the United States. Barre was a prominent Irish-born British politician who served in Parliament and was a vocal supporter of the American colonies. Stuart, though born in the colonies, spent much of his early career in London where he absorbed the traditions of British portraiture. He painted the sitter in fashionable garb, referencing Barre’s social standing. The austere background suggests that the Colonel is a man of serious business. The image, though, is more than a simple record of appearance. It tells us about the relationship between Britain and its colonies, the social networks that bound them together, and the political debates that would eventually tear them apart. A deeper understanding of the painting requires us to consider not just its aesthetic qualities, but also the historical context in which it was made. Resources such as letters, diaries, and political pamphlets, can reveal the complex web of social and institutional forces that shaped both the artist and his subject.