Portrait of Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellamont (1738-1800), in Robes of the Order of the Bath

Reynolds painted Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Bellamont, around 1773, in the elaborate robes of the Order of the Bath, creating one of his most spectacular full-length portraits. The sweeping red robes and the earl's commanding pose demonstrate Reynolds's mastery of the grand manner he had absorbed during his years in Italy (1749-52). Coote was an Anglo-Irish peer and military officer. Now in the National Gallery of Ireland, the painting represents the theatrical grandeur that Reynolds brought to aristocratic portraiture, transforming his sitters into figures of almost mythological stature.

The brilliant scarlet robes dominate the composition, painted with rich impasto and masterful handling of satin and ermine textures. Reynolds employs a classical column and drapery as props, with dramatic lighting emphasizing the sitter's commanding presence.