Ethel Eastman Johnson Conkling with Fan 1895

Curator: Eastman Johnson painted this portrait, "Ethel Eastman Johnson Conkling with Fan," around 1895. What strikes you first about it? Editor: Immediately, there's a certain reserve to her. The dark colours, the averted gaze… it speaks of a society restrained by convention. A weight of expectations, perhaps. Curator: Absolutely. Johnson captures a fascinating moment in the portrayal of women in art. While impressionism flourished in Europe, American portraiture was often still tied to older, more formal traditions. Notice how the fan and her lace cuffs point towards accepted standards of femininity at the time. Editor: I also think it tells of wealth and status within that society. A society portrait, yes, but one infused with this… melancholic air. It feels honest, as if we're seeing beyond the artifice expected of such portraits. Curator: That honesty is crucial. Fans, for example, were culturally-laden objects. Depending on how a woman held or used her fan, it was considered an entire codified nonverbal language used for flirtation or, to project modesty. How is it being used here? Editor: There's nothing flirtatious about it. It hangs limply, almost a symbol of surrender. Her dark hat obscures her face too – her gaze looking upwards as if distracted – even vaguely mournful? Perhaps she is even uncomfortable with the role she is required to play. Curator: Her expression is rather captivating. A modern eye might consider the composition to be a symbolic act of defiance. The use of a limited colour palette directs our focus to her face. Johnson employed quick, visible brushstrokes, giving it a sense of immediacy, that aligns with the growing art world of Impressionism. What do you make of his technique, socially and politically? Editor: I wonder if Johnson felt that these 'snapshots' captured a deeper reality of the lives of these women and the strict codes and expectation within a highly restricted society? To me, the painting as a social record goes beyond mere superficiality and offers a real, lasting document about the era. Curator: An artwork certainly capable of stimulating thought and a lasting social commentary. Thank you for your interpretation. Editor: My pleasure, as always. This painting tells me more than a photograph could possibly express!