Mrs Collier 1744

Curator: Thomas Hudson painted this portrait of Mrs Collier. It's currently housed in the Tate Collections, and gives us a peek into 18th-century portraiture. Editor: She has a quiet strength about her, doesn't she? It is as if she's paused mid-thought, and we’re catching a glimpse of her inner world. Curator: Hudson was a very successful portrait painter, and this work would have been commissioned. The silvery dress and careful lighting suggest a degree of status. Editor: I love how the light catches the fabric, it gives her an almost ethereal quality against that dark background. What do you imagine she was like, beyond her social standing? Curator: Well, as with many portraits, we can only speculate. Such paintings served to present a particular image to society, solidifying her place within the community. Editor: Perhaps. But I also see a woman who's intelligent and observant. There’s a real person there, not just a symbol of status. Curator: It is fascinating how art invites us to fill in the gaps, isn't it? To imagine lives that history often overlooks. Editor: Absolutely, it's a reminder that behind every portrait, there's a story waiting to be told, or perhaps, to be imagined.