Portrait of the Ballet Dancer Anne Margrethe Schall 1784 - 1845

Curator: Here we have Jacob Axel Gillberg's portrait of Anne Margrethe Schall, the celebrated ballet dancer, dating from the late 18th to mid-19th century. It’s a painting executed on ivory, quite small—a miniature, in fact. Editor: It's so delicate, almost ephemeral. Like a whisper of a memory. Even in monochrome, she has this lively expression that comes right through. Curator: Absolutely. Miniatures were intensely personal objects. Consider the composition, how Gillberg captures the fashionable, Rococo style with Anne Margrethe's soft, voluminous hair and the delicate ruffles of her gown, framed within the oval shape. The use of ivory gives a certain luminous quality to the face. Editor: The monochrome gives it a feel that almost amplifies the emotional texture. It cuts through the typical rococo frippery; what is usually showy and ornamental is revealed to be quite simple and unadorned. Is it just me or is there a slight touch of melancholia in her expression? Curator: Possibly. Or perhaps, it’s that sense of introspection one often finds in portraiture of that era. The portrait allows us to think about her presence not only as a dancer but as an individual. Also, consider that her gaze directed slightly away might connote contemplation or dreaminess, reflecting, maybe, the romantic sensibilities that begin to emerge during that period. Editor: She seems so pensive—I see someone who embodies both strength and vulnerability. What does it say about how femininity and artistry were presented in her era? The size alone suggests such intimacy. A portable memory of beauty and grace, something easily kept secret. Curator: The miniature as an object speaks volumes about intimacy and private lives. This portrait presents us with an image, certainly, of celebrity. At the same time it provides a certain entry into the artist's relationship to their sitter and indeed, their audience, as a memento or a token. Editor: When I first saw it, I imagined she was about to pirouette right off the tiny canvas. Now, I'm struck by this lingering, haunting calm she carries within her that's all the more powerful as an image of this singular dancer in monochromatic tones. Curator: Gillberg’s painting encapsulates a moment—both intimate and historical—in the life of a remarkable woman.