The artwork titled “Lieutenant-Colonel Gore” was created by the artist Charles Turner in 1804. It is a portrait that reflects the Romanticism art movement, which often emphasized individualism, emotion, and in some cases, heroism and the past.
The portrait shows a distinguished gentleman, presumably Lieutenant-Colonel Gore, portrayed in military attire. He is dressed in a double-breasted, red uniform with pale blue facings, equipped with epaulettes and decorative buttons that signify his rank and station. His hair is powdered according to the fashion of the time, and a large black bicorne hat adorned with a white feather plume sits upon his head, extending outwards and framing his face.
The officer is depicted with a somewhat reserved expression, his lips are closed, and his eyes gaze directly at the viewer, conveying a sense of confidence and authority. The image is a mezzotint, indicated by the subtle gradation of tones and the rich, velvety texture typical of this printmaking technique. The typographic text beneath the image confirms the subject’s name and association with the “Royal Bristol Volunteers,” and mentions the print being published in Bath by S. & F. Davenport. The overall composition of the portrait, set within a dark background, allows for the subject’s pale complexion and bright uniform to stand out, emphasizing his figure and rank.
