Portrait of the Marquise St. Hilaire 1877

Curator: This is Paul-Jean Flandrin's "Portrait of the Marquise St. Hilaire." It's a pencil drawing, measuring about 37 by 29 centimeters, and we have it here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The delicacy of the pencil work gives it a feeling of quiet contemplation. It also appears almost like a preliminary sketch rather than a finished presentation piece. Curator: Considering Flandrin's academic training, this work is interesting. The Marquise's garments, from the lace cuffs to her feathered head covering, signify a certain status, but the work itself shies away from lavish presentation. Editor: Perhaps the choice of medium speaks to a more intimate or personal portrayal of the subject. One wonders about the economic and social implications of choosing to depict nobility through such a humble medium, considering the usual expectations for painted portraiture. Curator: Absolutely. And the texture of the paper itself, visible beneath the pencil strokes, reminds us of the physical process of its creation. It blurs the line between portraiture and the artist's hand. Editor: It makes you think about the social exchange inherent in portrait commissions and the ways even an understated drawing could participate in constructing a public image. Curator: Precisely. It makes you think about the possibilities afforded by such simplicity. Editor: Indeed. A quiet rebellion, perhaps.