The Young Woman with the Fan c. 19th century

Curator: The artwork before us is entitled "The Young Woman with the Fan" by Charles Albert Waltner, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The woman's gaze is quite unsettling, almost confrontational. And that ruff—it’s almost architectural in its rigid structure. Curator: The woman’s attire speaks volumes about her social standing and the norms of the period. Consider how such details reinforced hierarchies. Editor: Indeed. The formal presentation of the image, the interplay of light and dark – it creates a dramatic tension, especially around her face. Curator: The image likely played a role in shaping or reinforcing certain cultural ideals of beauty or feminine propriety. Editor: It’s interesting how, even within a seemingly straightforward portrait, we can find so much to unpack about both the subject and the society surrounding her. Curator: Quite right, it’s a conversation, this portrait, one between artist, subject, and the world they both occupy.