Man in a red shirt with hands raised over his head, possibly study of an actor 

Curator: Instantly, I see a storm of emotion – he’s caught in a moment of…exasperation? Or maybe theatrical despair? The high-contrast coloring certainly adds to that drama. Editor: Indeed! Here we have what’s titled "Man in a red shirt with hands raised over his head, possibly study of an actor,” a pen, watercolor, and charcoal drawing from Paul Gavarni. He looks quite flamboyant, doesn't he? Curator: Flamboyant is a perfect word. It's interesting – you called it a “study”. Is it the unfinished feel that suggests that? Like he's still in motion? Or, more darkly, fighting against being captured? Editor: I'd suggest it is a study for a character or type, it certainly holds that sense of immediacy, though the precise dating remains unknown. The red shirt seems almost a focal point. It suggests passion, perhaps even anger given his pose. We are drawn to such an aggressive colour with ease. Curator: Right, red is…warning, stop, alarm. It certainly holds my attention. I love the slight looseness of the penstrokes combined with the boldness of the watercolor. There's something almost contradictory – refined medium versus unrestrained emotion. Editor: Precisely! Look closer; observe the symbolism within the colour. Notice how the position creates a dynamic interplay between vulnerability and defiance. There's cultural information buried within this pose. It makes you think of something from Romanticism doesn’t it, this embracing of raw feeling? The slightly contorted face almost veers into the territory of caricature, yet it still conveys deep pathos. Curator: Absolutely, the theatrical gesture takes it beyond mere portraiture, which I also find fascinating here. It could even be, for the artist at least, this grand performance he is making… Perhaps in part, for himself. But it's interesting how the “performance” of heightened emotions also reflects deep societal ideas, doesn’t it? About expressing internal thoughts… making public what should be private. Editor: Indeed. As a potent symbolic display – the cultural fascination and the human quest to perform feelings in such spectacular ways as a kind of display is the very symbol of the art of this piece, for sure! What lingers with me is his shout, which suggests we have found in the heart of Paul Gavarni's work, not just an illustration but the very sound and meaning of his Romanticism, in one emotional sketch. Curator: Yes, I couldn't agree more! We began our conversation questioning our initial reaction. But his performance, even when held as static, carries a note of triumph - for Paul and, more notably, for ourselves.