[title not known] 

Curator: Here we have a drawing from the Tate Collections by Prince Hoare, who lived from 1755 to 1834. It's a portrait study executed with pencil and red chalk. Editor: She seems both classical and awkward. Like a Roman statue trying to blend into a Jane Austen novel. Curator: I think you’re right, the neoclassical drapery is a bit at odds with the otherwise modest dress. Hoare was a playwright as well as a painter, and he was very involved in London's theater scene. Editor: Perhaps this is a sketch for a costume? Or an actress trying on a persona? It's fascinating how the red chalk creates such a soft, almost blushing effect. I wonder what story she's trying to tell. Curator: It definitely hints at the performative aspect of identity in the 18th century. Editor: A lovely, quiet piece, full of untold stories.