Edmond dessinant (Edmond Drawing, Stenterello, and Other Sketches) c. 1860s

Editor: This print, dating back to the 1860s, is titled *Edmond dessinant (Edmond Drawing, Stenterello, and Other Sketches)* by Jules de Goncourt. It appears to be ink on paper, with several different figures represented. I'm struck by the intimacy of the poses, as if glimpsed in private moments. What do you see in this work? Curator: Notice how Goncourt employs line to render these figures with such immediate presence, yes? Each panel resonates with symbols of a transient moment, like fleeting thoughts. The reclining figure evokes a dreamlike state. Are they burdened by something, perhaps melancholy, a theme quite prevalent during that period? Editor: The top figure on the left, curled up almost in a fetal position...it does suggest a kind of withdrawal or even sadness. What about the winged figure? I don't quite understand the meaning there. Curator: Ah, the winged figure! Here, we see the residue of classical imagery, a Cupid perhaps? Note how it's juxtaposed against the artist, in the bottom panel, so engrossed in their own work. Is Goncourt perhaps pondering the artistic genius as something that stems from or has a relationship with classical love or passion? The juxtaposition creates a dialogue between past ideals and present realities. Editor: So the different images create a symbolic conversation. It almost reads like a page from a sketchbook where Goncourt is working out various themes, linking memory, creativity and emotion. Curator: Precisely! These forms speak volumes about Goncourt’s interior world. What a remarkable glimpse into the mind of an artist! Editor: I never would have considered this work contained such emotional weight! This was so insightful; thank you.