George Frideric Handel

Thomas Hudson painted George Frideric Handel in 1756, three years before the composer's death. By this time, Handel had been resident in England for over four decades and was acknowledged as the greatest musical figure in Britain. Hudson, who was the leading London portraitist before Reynolds, painted Handel with the gravitas befitting his stature as the composer of "Messiah" and the great oratorios.

Hudson presents Handel in a formal three-quarter portrait with careful attention to the composer's heavy features and commanding presence. The painting follows mid-century portrait conventions with restrained coloring and precise, somewhat rigid execution.