The Death of the Earl of Chatham

John Singleton Copley

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a large gathering in a grand hall or courtroom setting. Filling the space are numerous people dressed in elaborate robes. These people all appear to be men with pale skin and curled white hair. Light streams down from a round window near the top left corner, casting a dramatic light on a group of men gathered to the right of center. One man in this group appears to have fainted, and the others are gathered around him, supporting his head and limbs. The other men in the room look to the right, towards this group. The room contains several ornate architectural elements, like a high curved ceiling with recessed areas, draping fabric along the wall near the top right corner, and a tapestry below the window on the left. The color palette is entirely in shades of pale yellow, brown, cream, white, and gray.