Mrs. Rigby c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have David Octavius Hill's portrait of Mrs. Rigby, probably created sometime in the 19th century. It’s a photogravure print and I must say, it has an incredibly wistful feeling to it. The lace detailing is exquisite. What stands out to you most about this piece? Curator: Ah, Mrs. Rigby! To me, this is less a photograph and more like peering into a fading memory. The soft focus, the way the light catches her lace cap...it’s all so evocative. Don't you feel like she holds a secret world within her? The slightly blurred details almost seem to be telling the viewer that what you are seeing isn't all there is. It's a fragment. What I find particularly beautiful is the intimacy Hill achieves. Editor: That’s a great point about the sense of intimacy despite the sort of distant, soft focus of the photogravure. Curator: It makes you wonder about the story behind her eyes, doesn’t it? I feel like there is an incredible beauty there which, again, might just be an indication that there's a world of things behind what the simple eye can capture. I wonder if Hill wasn't just recording her likeness but attempting to capture a sense of her spirit, or perhaps his perception of it. Do you feel that sense too, or am I simply projecting? Editor: I can see that. The way she holds herself, almost reserved, but with a gentle expression – it does hint at a deeper narrative. So, while this work might look on the surface to simply be a photo from the 19th century, in truth it offers something much deeper for those prepared to reflect on it for longer. Curator: Absolutely. And sometimes the greatest art isn't about what it shows us, but about what it makes us imagine. Thanks for making me think about that today.