François Gérard (1770–1837), later Baron Gérard 1785 - 1795

Editor: This is Antoine-Jean Gros’s portrait of François Gérard, painted sometime between 1785 and 1795. It’s oil on canvas, and the Met is where it currently resides. He seems so pensive, almost melancholic. What's your take on it? What do you see when you look at him? Curator: Ah, Gros's portrayal captures that youthful intensity, doesn't it? There’s a certain… untamed energy about Gérard, even in his stillness. I mean, just look at that cascade of auburn hair against the somber jacket. A whisper of rebellion perhaps, but framed within the meticulous detail that was so fashionable. Do you get that tension between wild spirit and societal expectation? Editor: Definitely. The hair does seem at odds with the buttoned-up formality of the rest of the painting. Is that typical of Neoclassical portraits? Curator: Good eye! In a way, yes and no. The Neoclassical movement aimed for order and reason, drawing from classical antiquity, yet artists were also romantics at heart, so these glimpses of individualism creep in. He wants to project a calm confidence. But it is artful! The blue lines almost fade into the background, highlighting the creamy white skin and ruffled tie, so innocent-looking. Perhaps these young Romantics were far more interested in a more youthful image of life, dreams, hope, and passion. You know? It shows us what kind of person this artist saw or wanted others to see. Don't you think it has that perfect balance of youthful energy that is well balanced? Editor: So interesting! I guess I saw the melancholy but missed all that complexity beneath the surface. I am going to come back to this artwork after our chat and hopefully dive deeper into my understanding of Neoclassicism and romanticism!