Portrait of George Townshend, Lord Ferrers 

Joshua Reynolds painted this oil on canvas portrait of George Townshend, Lord Ferrers, sometime in the 18th century. Reynolds was a founding member, and first president, of the Royal Academy. He was the pre-eminent portraitist of the British elite, adept at flattering his subjects while subtly referencing classical art. Here, Townshend is presented as a man of action, dressed in his military uniform. But what does it mean to be a man of action in 18th-century Britain? Note the landscape in the background alluding to his military service, reminding us of the global reach of the British Empire at the time. These elements tell us not only about Townshend's status but also about the way in which portraiture served to reinforce social hierarchies. To understand the painting fully, we might consult military records or studies of British aristocratic culture. Only then can we really grasp the complex interplay of power and representation that Reynolds so masterfully captured.