Two Costume Designs or Portrait Studies. Woman with a Bird and a Woman with Binoculars 1785 - 1790

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the delicate melancholy. The soft blues and greens give it such a dreamlike quality. Editor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this intriguing piece, "Two Costume Designs or Portrait Studies. Woman with a Bird and a Woman with Binoculars," dating from around 1785-1790. Created anonymously using tempera and colored pencil. Curator: Anonymous. Of course, it highlights the frequent elision of women's contributions to the artistic landscape. These portraits seem ripe for unpacking their contemporary social meaning and performance of femininity within a patriarchal gaze. What do you think about their roles here, Historian? Editor: Well, considering the historical context, the late 18th century was a time of significant social upheaval. Courtly life was often portrayed through images celebrating luxury and leisure. These 'costume designs', as they are referred to, reveal insight into the performance of identity. A bird and binoculars! Remarkable! Curator: Exactly! Are we observing women being presented as mere decorative objects versus women actively seeking knowledge and understanding? The bird confined in a cage could mirror the constraints imposed on women of the era. And that jaunty woman with binoculars seems so revolutionary by comparison! I would say that the visual cues point toward the emergence of Enlightenment ideas challenging traditional norms, at least for a privileged class of people. Editor: I see that, definitely. And the medium too--tempera and colored pencil on paper suggests a less formal or official commission. Maybe preparatory studies for a larger project. What's fascinating to me is considering where it may have been displayed and what audience engaged with it. Curator: It leaves you wondering what sorts of personal or political performances informed this type of piece and what subversive readings may have been activated, at the time, within their domestic settings. Editor: I agree; the layers are plentiful. We have gone deeper into thinking about the purpose of costume, identity, and also about the purpose of observing in this period of history. Thank you! Curator: An insightful venture, thank you.