Pamela vertrekt in een koets naar Lincolnshire Possibly 1745 - 1747

Curator: Stepping up close to this print at the Rijksmuseum, we find ourselves contemplating “Pamela vertrekt in een koets naar Lincolnshire,” an engraving by Antoine Benoist, possibly created between 1745 and 1747. It depicts a scene teeming with social implications and the visual language of its time. Editor: My first impression is that it's wonderfully busy, almost a snapshot of daily life, but tinged with a sort of bittersweet departure. The fine lines create a delicate, almost ethereal mood, like capturing a memory fading at the edges. Curator: Absolutely, and what's fascinating here is the subject itself: the departure of Pamela, likely from Samuel Richardson’s popular novel, Pamela. We’re witnessing her supposed farewell before being sent away, orchestrated by a character watching from a window, highlighting themes of class, deception, and female agency within 18th-century society. Editor: I'm drawn to the horses, they're so robust and full of life, pulling the carriage forward while everyone else seems caught in a moment of restrained drama. Do you think their energy hints at Pamela's inner desire for freedom? Maybe I’m projecting… Curator: It’s a beautiful interpretation! I’d say it certainly resonates. Remember that period engravings were often intended not just as aesthetic objects but as vehicles for social commentary and narrative dissemination. Notice the intricate details in the architecture versus the emotional expressions—or lack thereof—on the figures' faces, which tells us a great deal about the priorities of that time. Editor: And that woman in the window! There's something vaguely menacing about her perch above the scene, like she's pulling the strings of Pamela's destiny. Makes me wonder about the gazes we put ourselves under and the roles we unwillingly perform. Curator: Indeed. In viewing this engraving, we're not only engaging with its immediate aesthetics but also critiquing the power dynamics reflected within and prompting conversations about the continued relevance of these narratives today. Editor: Precisely, it’s less a static image and more a launchpad for imagining the whole story around that single moment, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Entirely, and this engraving offers us not just a depiction of a departure, but an entry point into understanding the complexities of gender, class, and power embedded in 18th-century European culture. Editor: Well, now I can’t help but ponder what lies beyond Lincolnshire for poor Pamela, and maybe for us all.