Portrait of a Young Lady Drawn in Left Profile 1773 - 1784

Editor: Here we have Henry Fuseli's "Portrait of a Young Lady Drawn in Left Profile," created sometime between 1773 and 1784. It's a delicate drawing, pencil on paper. It feels quite restrained, almost…clinical? What do you see in this piece that I might be missing? Curator: Restrained is an interesting word! To me, it’s charged with the latent energy that was brewing during the Romantic era. Notice how Fuseli doesn't just draw a pretty face. He captures a certain… intensity. Her gaze is fixed, unwavering, even if it's cast slightly downward, into some deep place of thought, some private moment. What do you think she is pondering, or perhaps resisting? Editor: Resisting? That's intriguing. I guess I was so caught up in the details—the elaborate coiffure, the precise lines—that I overlooked any emotional tension. Could it be a resistance against societal expectations? Curator: Absolutely! Think of the period. Women, especially in portraits, were often presented as docile, decorative objects. Here, Fuseli seems to suggest a strength of character, an interior life that transcends mere outward appearance. Notice the economy of line – a few strokes capture the light on her face, the curve of her neck. The lack of ornamentation adds to this sense of immediacy, and internal fortitude. But I may be reading too much into this! What else strikes you about the drawing? Editor: It's funny how a shift in perspective can change everything! Thinking about the context definitely makes me see her – and the portrait – in a whole new light. Thanks for illuminating the emotion beyond the pencil strokes. Curator: And thank you for opening up fresh avenues of interpreting this timeless beauty.