Portrait of a Girl, Half Length 

Editor: Here we have an ink drawing, "Portrait of a Girl, Half Length," from the 18th-century British School. It’s quite small, almost postcard-sized. It strikes me as incredibly spontaneous, a fleeting impression. What do you make of it? Curator: Spontaneous is a great word! It feels like we've caught the artist in the act of thinking aloud, doesn't it? The hatching in the background isn't just shading, it's a flurry of energy surrounding the girl. Do you feel that same energy in her posture? Editor: I do now! It’s like she's about to turn and speak. Curator: Exactly! It’s less a formal portrait and more a captured moment, a whisper of a personality. We've glimpsed something of her inner life. Editor: That’s a wonderful way to think about it. Thanks!