Portret van Marie Favart in de rol van Adrienne in Andrienne Lecouvreur before 1880

Curator: Looking at this photograph, "Portret van Marie Favart in de rol van Adrienne in Andrienne Lecouvreur," dating from before 1880 and held in the Rijksmuseum, I'm immediately drawn to its theatrical flair. Editor: It feels intensely staged. You can almost smell the greasepaint. Curator: Precisely! The composition and the use of light accentuate Favart's dramatic pose, capturing the essence of the tragic actress Adrienne Lecouvreur. It's like freezing a moment from the play. Editor: Let’s consider how this image itself was crafted. The material process. It’s fascinating that, even then, they are staging an artificial reproduction as a supposedly “real” depiction. Note how much work has been dedicated to fabric manipulation – all that drapery! Curator: Indeed! Her costume alone speaks volumes – the rich fabrics, intricate lace, and the ornate headpiece all contribute to the romanticised image of 18th-century glamour. I think, also, it speaks to a deep and nostalgic history-painting tradition that tried to invoke, materially, these eras gone by. Editor: I see that Romanticism you mention but, thinking about photography’s function then, the use of her own dress perhaps cheapened, commodified even, Adrienne’s story. Almost like selling pieces of her suffering. Did she choose her attire or were the makers of this artwork calling the shots? Curator: An astute observation. There's that question of the agency that’s tied into it! The performative nature of both acting and early portrait photography blurs lines—was she truly embodying Adrienne, or was she a model adhering to a pre-determined character? Editor: Also, those photographic techniques -- albumen prints perhaps -- demanded incredible labour. From the photographer's studio staff prepping chemicals to the textile workers, so much labor goes into what reads now as “high society.” Curator: Right, by immortalising this tragic actress in photographic form, the portrait not only pays homage to her talent but also participates in the romantic idealization of artistic suffering. But perhaps it makes the narrative tangible and therefore allows one to empathise with Adrienne in some ways? Editor: And yet, who are the real subjects and agents? As someone deeply entrenched in materiality, I do wonder where do those countless other hands involved in its making stand? Curator: Well, it feels as if, looking at the staged drama alongside that thought of labor and loss, there is a tangible, spectral echo of history right here in front of us! Editor: Indeed! Layers upon layers. From production and labor to personal storytelling, a photograph, even from so long ago, tells so much.