Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, 1st Bt, MP (1714-1774) as a Hunter with a Wild Boar Spear

Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh appears again in this 1751 Batoni portrait as a hunter with a wild boar spear — a more active masculine identity than the fruit-and-corn wreath portrait, suggesting a deliberate program of varied poses and attributes for the Uppark commission. The hunting pose, possibly inspired by the Meleager tradition or contemporary British sporting portraits, places the baronet in a tradition of aristocratic masculine achievement. The wild boar hunt was one of the most dangerous and prestigious forms of the chase, and its attributes in portraiture signaled courage alongside prosperity. Having two distinct Batoni portraits with different attributes was itself a mark of wealth and engagement with Roman artistic culture.

Oil on canvas positioned as a more dynamic complement to the wreath-portrait of the same sitter. The boar spear held or posed would create a compositional energy distinct from the static pastoral wreath image. Batoni's rendering of the hunting implement alongside the baronet's hunting or informal dress creates a contrasting vocabulary of masculine vigor.