Colonel John Fortnum and Family
1775
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
1775
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The painting shows a family of five, dressed in formal attire, posing together in a stately setting. The father, wearing a red military coat with gold trim, stands behind his wife, who is seated and holding a young child. Two other children, a boy and a girl, stand to the left of their parents. The family is set against a backdrop of a stone column and a cloudy sky, with trees visible in the distance. The overall atmosphere of the painting is one of elegance and refinement. This painting is a fine example of 18th-century portraiture, and it's worth looking up the artist, Tilly Kettle, to learn more about his work.
