Sir William Pepperrell 1747

This is a mezzotint portrait of Sir William Pepperrell, made in 1747 by Peter Pelham. It presents the wealthy merchant and military leader as a refined gentleman, in keeping with British aristocratic traditions of portraiture. But the portrait also speaks to the tensions inherent in colonial society. Pepperrell was born and lived in what is now Maine, yet his identity was deeply tied to the British Empire. The inscription below the image celebrates his role in leading colonial forces to victory against the French at the siege of Louisbourg in 1745. His success demonstrated the power of the British military in North America, yet also sowed the seeds of later conflict, since many colonists felt used rather than supported by the Empire. To understand this image fully, we can consult period documents, military records, and biographical accounts. Art history shows us that the meaning of an image is always shaped by its historical moment.