Reynolds (1723 - 1792) was one of the foremost portrait painters of the 18th Century, successful critically and financially. He was one of the founders of the prestigious and influential Royal Academy of Art, the professional organization in Britain for artists.
Note the composition of this portrait: the figure of Captain Orme is vertical and erect; most other elements in this portrait (horse, clouds, even the tree) depart from the vertical, thus helping the figure of Orme dominate the portrait. This domination is enhanced dramatically by Reynolds' use of color: except for the sky (more on that in a moment), everything around and behind Orme is dark and muted, allowing the scarlet and gold of his military uniform to stand out all the more.
One critic has remarked of this painting that "the effect is splendidly dramatic and immediate: the thunderous sky and extravagant lighting, Orme's windswept hair, the highlighted despatches in his hand, his foaming steed, the red coat pushed open by the ready sword - all suggest a heroic and transient moment in the life of the young officer." All of it true, and emphasizing the fact it is the human who is the concern here -- hey, it's a portrait after all, right? All other elements are built around and eclipsed by the figure of Robert Orme. That dramatic sky, bright only in the center of the painting, serves to highlight Orme's face and draw our attention to it; the trappings of war (the uniform, the dispatch — military orders — in his hand, the sword) and the evidence of movement (the wind-blown coattail and hair) provide a sense of energy, to be sure, but an energy anchored by and centered in Orme's presence. Note the horse's posture as well: it seems almost to curtsy, to enact a gesture of deference to human command. This is a world of energy and power, yes, but that power never threatens to master or overwhelm the human, who remains firmly confident and in control.
And what does it mean, after all, that a portrait like this characterized, for the Augustans, a dramatic and heroic moment for a young warrior? Is there the energy and bold command of a fighter here?
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