The Duke, The Artist, and Fred

As a student, I spent a year studying English Country Houses at the University of Hull in England. During that time I ran across the slightly obscure, somewhat formulaic portrait of the Duke of Arundel by Daniel Mytens the Elder. It shows the Duke in front of a red drape, showing off his treasured collection of antique statuary. When I returned to the states I took an American Art History class and was was introduced to the self-portrait of yet another obscure historical figure, Charles Wilson Peale. C.W. would have, I argued in my term paper, been familiar with the Mytens, and had chosen his pose deliberatly hoping to associate himself with the Duke, who like him, spent fortunes in collecting. Apparently I wasn’t all that convincing, I believe I received a C. (That professor never did like me) But, years later, the images still stick. So to honor the Duke and Mr. Peale, here’s me and Fred. (I don’t have a fortune so collect neither art nor botanic speicimans, just characters)