Portret van Thomas Ashton c. 1763 - 1765

James McArdell created this mezzotint portrait of Thomas Ashton. The somber tones, achieved through the mezzotint technique, evoke a sense of gravity fitting for the sitter. Notice how the composition divides neatly into sections: the face and wig at the top, central is his academic robe, and at the bottom a book. This structured approach may reflect the sitter's own rational approach to the world. The use of light and shadow is particularly striking. McArdell masterfully employs chiaroscuro to sculpt Ashton's face, giving him a strong presence. The very medium of mezzotint, with its rich tonal gradations and velvety blacks, speaks to the period's fascination with texture and surface. This attention to detail can be understood through a semiotic lens, where the textures and tones function as signs communicating status and character. The print invites us to consider how form and content intersect, creating not just an image of a man, but a representation of intellectual authority.