Bust of an Old Woman 18th-19th century

Curator: This is "Bust of an Old Woman" by Amalie Baader, dating to 1784, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The etching has an intimate feel, a certain quiet dignity in her gaze. The crosshatching gives it a lovely texture. Curator: Indeed, the headscarf carries echoes of earlier Renaissance portraiture—the turban, a symbol of wisdom and worldliness. But here, it's perhaps more about status, echoing Dutch Golden Age tropes. Editor: Or maybe it's simpler. Perhaps it's a visual shorthand for "old age," a way to depict wisdom earned through experience, irrespective of culture. Curator: Interesting perspective. It certainly prompts thoughts on how artists use visual cues to shape collective understandings of age and authority. Editor: Yes, it makes you wonder about the stories etched onto her face, doesn't it? The image lingers.