The artwork “Sir William Knighton, 1st Bt” by Charles Turner, created in 1823, is a portrait falling under the Romanticism art movement. The piece features the depiction of Sir William Knighton, rendered in the detailed and emotive style characteristic of Romantic portraiture.
In the artwork, Sir William Knighton is presented in a frontal pose, exuding a sense of dignified presence and composure. His attire, formal and elegant, consists of a buttoned coat with a high, dark collar, complemented by a white cravat. The artist, Charles Turner, employs a technique that emphasizes the textures of the clothing and the gentle play of light and shadow on Knighton’s face, enhancing the lifelike quality of the portrait. The background is subdued, allowing full attention to be drawn to the subject’s facial expression and attire, emblematic of the Romantic era’s focus on individualism and the depth of human emotion.