Ung pige, 'Euthydikos koren' (Akropolis museet inv. 686) 1911

Editor: Here we have Marie Henriques' watercolor drawing, "Ung pige, 'Euthydikos koren' (Akropolis museet inv. 686)," created in 1911. It depicts a sculpture, rendered with delicate strokes. It feels like a whisper from the past. What stands out to you most when you look at this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, a whisper is perfect. The gentle washes of watercolor breathe such life into cold stone, don't they? It reminds me of when I first visited the Acropolis; the light, the stillness… almost dreamlike. Henriques has captured that ethereal quality. I'm particularly drawn to the way she's used the light to create form, especially in the drapery. It almost feels alive. What do you make of the color choices? Editor: They’re so subtle, almost muted, which emphasizes the timelessness of the sculpture, I think. Is she intentionally muting them? Curator: Absolutely! By limiting her palette to these earthy, desaturated tones, Henriques links this 'young girl' to the very earth from which she was unearthed. The blue headband adds a fleeting contemporary touch – a wink of modernity acknowledging antiquity, wouldn’t you say? Do you feel it captures something essential about the relationship between the ancient and the modern? Editor: That's a great point, the blue really does bring it forward. It's more than just a copy; it's a conversation. It makes me consider the ever-present dialogue between past and present, and how artists like Henriques act as translators. Curator: Precisely! It’s a reminder that the past isn’t just ‘back there’ somewhere. It’s constantly being re-imagined and re-interpreted. Marie Henriques managed a connection there that goes beyond accurate portrayal! Editor: I’ll never look at watercolor renderings of classical sculptures the same way. There's a soulfulness in this piece I hadn’t noticed before. Thanks!