Portrait of Margaretha Cornelia van de Poll, Wife of Cornelis Munter 1750

Curator: Oh, she’s a vision in Rococo silk! This is Jean Fournier's “Portrait of Margaretha Cornelia van de Poll, Wife of Cornelis Munter,” painted around 1750, and a prime example of the oil portraiture in fashion at the time. Editor: It strikes me as… a bit melancholy. There’s a formality that feels very constrained. The details of her clothing, while exquisite, almost imprison her. It’s less celebration, more record. Curator: Perhaps you're right. There's an undeniable emphasis on wealth and status – the brocaded gown, that delicate lace collar...but look closer, that light hitting her face, almost makes me believe she might give a knowing little smile. The Rococo style certainly embodies a moment of elegance, though the portrait's setting perhaps echoes a societal restraint on women of her status. Editor: And there’s the inherent power dynamic of portraiture itself. She’s being *looked* at. By Fournier, by us now. Whose gaze is controlling this image? It raises questions about female representation. Was this really how Margaretha wanted to be seen? And whose desire, husband's or family’s, was catered for? Curator: The dress and its making could definitely have been a tool of political statement as much as a tool of status: this deep pattern can make one think of the richness of foreign countries. A symbol of a global commercial network as well as beauty, perhaps. Do you get this sensation? Editor: Yes. Also, notice the way the fabric pools – that electric blue velvet adding weight and importance. And what does her reserved face tells us, compared with such bold colour? Curator: I see a woman keenly aware of her role, but possibly also questioning it. After all, there is light in her face. Not rebellious perhaps but alert to the changing world. A small smirk hiding an active and observant inner-world. Editor: Perhaps the most interesting element, really, is the tension between opulent display and an individual, the push and pull between those forces. Curator: Maybe that tension is what makes this work so engaging centuries later: Margaretha looks back at us. There's something haunting about her quiet reserve, that tells you, maybe you will never truly understand what is going through her mind.