Portret van Robert Walpole 1746

This is Jacob Houbraken's engraving of Robert Walpole, made in the Netherlands in the 18th century. Walpole, the first Earl of Orford, was essentially Britain’s first Prime Minister. Houbraken, who never met Walpole, based his print on an earlier portrait by Rosalba Carriera, an Italian artist known for her portraits of European elites. It's a copy of a copy. Consider for a moment how images circulated in the 18th century. Engravings like these allowed for a wider distribution of likenesses, reinforcing social hierarchies and political power. In this portrait, Walpole is surrounded by symbols of authority: a crown, a scepter, and other regalia. His gaze is direct, confident, almost challenging. Yet, the softness of the engraving, the almost fussy detail of the frame, and the whiteness of his wig all speak to a certain ideal of aristocratic masculinity. What does it mean to perform power? How is identity constructed through representation? This portrait invites us to think about the relationship between image, power, and identity in the 18th century, and perhaps even today.