Born into a famiy of modest clergymen, Hancock became one of the richest and most powerful men in Boston. He commissioned this portrait and one of Lydia Henchman on the occasion of their marriage. According to Smibert's notebooks, these relatively small, three-quarter views were the cheapest portraits the artist offered, suggesting that at this point...

Son of an early governor of Massachusetts, Dudley was a prominent politician. His luxurious clothing, dramatic pose, and the rich palette are typical of the early Baroque style. Compared with contemporary London works, however, Dudley's face is depicted with a high degree of individuality and realism. Portraits made for the European aristocracy often...