Portret van Anne Bonfoy 1755

Editor: So, here we have James McArdell's 1755 engraving, "Portret van Anne Bonfoy," at the Rijksmuseum. It has this kind of dreamlike, romantic feel to it, and it seems like Anne is about to step right out of the picture. How do you interpret this work, seeing as its almost like she's frozen in time yet ready to come alive? Curator: It’s funny you say that. The Rococo really relished capturing this fleeting elegance, didn't they? This wasn't just a portrait; it was almost like immortalizing a dance move. It’s all soft light and that slightly windswept look, right? And there’s the setting – looks more like a theatre backdrop than a real place. Doesn't it all strike you as deliberately staged, a bit like a fairy tale about to begin? Editor: Absolutely! It's less "capturing reality" and more like crafting an ideal. The engraving medium too – it gives it a delicate feel that suits the Rococo style perfectly, right? What I’m wondering, why make this an engraving, wouldn't paint work better? Curator: Good question! Engravings like this, in their own way, helped spread an artist’s vision way beyond the elite who could afford a painted portrait. A print democratized art a tiny bit back then. Consider it the 18th-century equivalent of a widely shared digital image. Makes you wonder what Anne herself would've thought, doesn't it? Of her image fluttering about in drawing rooms near and far. Editor: Wow, so it was like social media marketing for paintings! That changes how I see it entirely. Curator: Doesn't it, though? The world hidden inside a seemingly straightforward portrait. That’s the fun part. Editor: I'll never look at an 18th-century portrait the same way again.