Charles Pratt Earl Camden, Lord Chancellor (1766–1770)

This 1770 portrait of Charles Pratt, Earl Camden, as Lord Chancellor is a second version of the subject Dance painted in 1769, documenting the sustained relationship between portraitist and significant political client. Camden had been appointed Lord Chancellor in 1766 by Chatham and served until 1770 when the ministry fell—this portrait capturing him at the end of his chancellorship. The comparison of the 1769 and 1770 versions allows study of Dance's approach to multiple portraits of the same sitter, revealing how he varied composition, dress, and expression across commissions from the same patron. Camden's significance as a defender of civil liberties gave this portrait series historical as well as artistic importance.

The full legal robes and ceremonial wig establish the official character of this institutional portrait, with Dance's precise rendering of the Lord Chancellor's regalia demonstrating his skill with the textures of silk, ermine, and velvet.