Profile bust of an officer in a bear fur hat 1830 - 1840

Curator: This is a profile bust of an officer in a bear fur hat, created sometime between 1830 and 1840. The artist is currently listed as Delaunois. It's a lithograph print, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: The first thing I notice is that incredibly towering hat! It nearly dwarfs the officer’s face. There’s something almost comical about the contrast, yet the line work is so precise, it feels formal and stoic, even. Curator: The hat certainly demands attention! In many cultures, especially in military contexts, headwear signifies rank, authority, and belonging. Here, the fur hat, especially of that size, likely served to visually amplify the officer's presence. Editor: It makes me wonder about the weight of that symbol. The phrase inscribed above the signature, “Mes amours toujours,” suggests love enduring forever. Is the portrait meant to commemorate an everlasting devotion, or is it meant as something different? It’s odd, considering this military image. Curator: That's a very astute observation. Military attire is replete with symbolism meant to evoke power, bravery, and unwavering allegiance to the state. However, overlaying it with such an intimate declaration of enduring love creates an intriguing duality. Perhaps the artist intended to humanize this officer, revealing the emotions that lie beneath the stern façade of duty. Editor: Maybe. Or maybe he's compensating? The severity of his uniform is covering a deep sense of sentimental love that he wants to shout to the world! Curator: A counterpoint of cultural memory that could work in several directions simultaneously. In terms of the portrait itself, the precision and fine lines are so indicative of the Realism movement. It's trying to offer an unvarnished, ‘true’ representation of the sitter. Editor: Yes, true... and yet, everything in this print seems chosen, down to that swooping, calligraphic signature that underlines it all, a personal mark against the stoic profile. So many cultural forces meeting, or fighting. Curator: Well, it definitely gives one much to ponder beyond a simple military portrait. Editor: Indeed, a little ink and paper revealing the layers we create in life.