Anthony Todd, Postmaster General 1779

George Romney painted this portrait of Anthony Todd, Postmaster General, during the late 18th century, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval. In this portrait, Todd is presented with all the trappings of power; his clothing, bearing, and the very fact of his portraiture are all marks of his place in the British class system. As Postmaster General, Todd was quite literally responsible for the circulation of information and the maintenance of communication networks across the British Empire. In this way, this portrait speaks to the relationship between the individual and the vast, impersonal systems of governance and control. The portrait leaves me wondering, what does it mean to be at once an individual, and a cog in a machine of empire? What burden and what possibilities did that position entail?