In The Proclamation, Garford presents an Italian “town crier” figure dressed in 16th century costume unfurling scroll. A set of drums sits beside him, presumedly used to gather an audience’s attention. With a miniaturist's eye for detail, Garford depicts a collection of emblems on his chest, each possibly representing a neighborhood or contrada of a Medieval town such as Florence or Lucca. Skillfully rendered, Garford’s choice of subject matter reflects a British taste for romanticized visions of Renaissance Italy at the turn of the 20th century.