William Siddons 

Editor: This is John Opie's portrait of William Siddons. He looks intense, almost grave. The stark contrast makes me wonder about the story behind the sitter. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: Notice how Opie uses light and shadow? It creates a sense of drama, but also hints at hidden aspects of Siddons' character. The dark clothing may represent a certain social status, but could also signal a more introspective nature. Editor: That’s a good point about the clothing, it is hard to read. Curator: Consider, too, the gaze: It's direct but perhaps guarded. What does that tell us about the sitter’s relationship to the artist, or even to the world? Editor: That makes me think about how we perceive people through images, both then and now. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, images are never neutral. They're always imbued with layers of meaning.