Portret van Almeria Carpenter 1768

Curator: I see this portrait and think instantly of faded perfume and whispered secrets. Editor: Intriguing! Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have James Watson's "Portrait of Almeria Carpenter," a drawing made with pen, dating back to 1768, putting it firmly in the Rococo period. A style famous for portraits... Curator: Rococo, of course. It's a glimpse, isn't it? She’s peering just slightly to her left and there is something ephemeral that goes beyond the subject staring from the canvas. Do you not sense that fleeting energy in the composition? Editor: Undeniably. What I find particularly captivating is the stark framing. The darkness pushes the viewer right up to Almeria, accentuating her presence with the circular frame. Did James do that intentionally I wonder? It makes her an object of intrigue and maybe some other intent in mind? It's more than simple portraiture; it's artifice. Curator: Precisely! And her expression... almost a knowing glance, don’t you think? As though she understands the performance. Editor: A performance indeed! James Watson clearly exploits Rococo's visual exuberance here; see how light dances on the lace of her dress? There is clear and close attention paid to details. Each carefully rendered frill becomes significant. This contrasts the darker edges, again making the portrait "pop." Curator: The overall gray or desaturated wash over everything pulls it from photorealistic intent and adds that haunting, distant feel, but if we also accept that this is in part thanks to the passing of years then that might only be half of the truth? I could easily conjure a tale around it if I let myself go… the details in this almost monotone drawing pull me into its web of wonder and longing. Editor: A fine conclusion. In observing James Watson’s, ‘Portrait of Almeria Carpenter’ the way this drawing, despite being over 250 years old, invites conjecture and prompts conversation is very engaging and one thing about this period of history is that it holds its charm to this day. Curator: And leaves us both in silent debate about secrets… some day perhaps we will reveal this subject's full untold story to a captive audience but until that moment it will sit nicely at The Rijksmuseum and in our imaginative mind’s eye.