Poullain de Saint-Foix 1778

Curator: Let's look at this engraving of Poullain de Saint-Foix by Noël Le Mire. It's from the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: What a fascinating face! Almost cherubic, but with a hint of world-weariness. All those frills and flourishes somehow amplify that feeling. Curator: The print medium allows for intricate detail, capturing the textures of fabric and the delicate lines of the portrait. It also speaks to the rise of a print culture and wider dissemination of images. Editor: I love how Le Mire juxtaposes the severity of the oval portrait with all the little details around it; the ship, the putto, the...swans? It feels like a grand, slightly absurd performance. Curator: Absolutely, these visual elements speak to Saint-Foix's life and accomplishments. The material composition and engraving process are also telling about the status and craft of printmaking during this time. Editor: It's a wonderful image; makes you wonder about the man behind the ornamentation. Curator: Indeed. The interplay between subject and visual language really invites speculation.