Dusk was falling outside, but the lights of creativity were burning brightly as I met the curators of Harewood House at the private view of ‘Reframing Reynolds’ to discuss a thought provoking exhibition, which examines issues of identity and self image in the age of Empire.
Harewood House, Yorkshire.
Sir Joshua Reynolds painted several portraits of the Lascelles family and now 300 years after the artists birth, this fascinating new exhibition allows us to get up close and personal with six of these works.
In the late eighteenth century, the Lascelles were a family on the up (thanks to profits from the trades in sugar and enslaved people) and constructing Harewood House helped to solidify their new found social status, but that wasn’t enough. Portraiture also played a crucial role in constructing their public image. as these sitters would have realised.
Edwin Lascelles by Sir Joshua Reynolds - Unframed and at eye level.
As Rebecca Burton, Curator & Archivist explained to me - “Reynolds’ new style of portraiture was incredibly timely for those such as the Lascelles family. They were of 'new money', part of the aspiring classes that had developed as a result of the British Empire, and were looking to project an identity that legitimised and reinforced their new-found wealth, status and power.
The 'Grand Style' allowed Reynolds to stretch the truth and project a desired public image. Harewood's portrait of Edwin Lascelles is the perfect example of this. Reynolds builds a picture of leisured, aristocratic grandeur, showing the sitter admiring his estate and country seat. In reality, we know that when Edwin's portrait was painted, Harewood was still a construction site, and therefore the picture is very much a projection of the vision that the sitter had for both himself and Harewood. It also tells us how the sitter wanted his identity to be perceived by both his contemporaries and descendants."
Edwoin Lascelles by sir Joshua Reynolds as usually hung in the Cinnamon Drawing Room at Harewood House.
Another shimmering case in point is Reynolds’ exceptional full-length portrait of Mrs Hale, depicted as the goddess Euphrosyne, in the Music Room.
Mrs Hale by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
It’s worth noting that the exhibition has also been devised with younger visitors in mind as Mark Jackson, Head of Learning and Access explains - “Our family guide will help younger visitors learn about Reynolds and inspire them to think about portraiture and identity in the modern world. Mel, Reynolds' cheeky pet parrot, will guide younger visitors and their grown ups through the exhibition, asking questions and prompting discussion, creating an engaging experience for all ages. The guide will also teach children how to read a portrait, making them consider how elements such as the sitters' pose, clothing, expression and the objects within the portrait might make us think about who the person was and how they wanted to be seen.”
Edward Lascelles and Anne Lascelles by Sir Joshua Reynolds
Clearly when it comes to shining new light on Old Masters, and disrupting centuries - old narratives, few do it better than the curatorial team at Harewood House! This exhibition has refreshed how I view portraits and inspired me in my own work..I’d say run don’t walk!
Reframing Reynolds Sat 18 Mar – Mon 28 Aug, 11am – 4pm Harewood Day Tickets include access to Reframing Reynolds Find out more + book at harewood.org
Nick Cox - April 2023