Three Female Figures after Caravaggio and Raphael 1772

Editor: This is "Three Female Figures after Caravaggio and Raphael," an ink drawing by Jean-Claude Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non. I'm really struck by the sort of classical feel, but also the slightly odd, almost playful way the figures are arranged. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a fascinating echo of echoes, isn’t it? Saint-Non wasn’t just copying; he was in conversation with giants, riffing on their themes. Notice how the starkness of Caravaggio is softened, almost flirted with, by Raphael’s grace. Like a memory, slightly faded but potent. Does it remind you of anything in particular? Editor: I guess it feels a bit like a study, a playful exploration of different styles. Curator: Precisely. It's an artist thinking aloud, letting us glimpse the ingredients of his own creative process. We see him playing with light, form, and perhaps even questioning the very notion of originality. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?