Mlle. Amigo 1832

Curator: Look at this delicate lithograph of Mlle. Amigo by Achille Devéria. There's a softness to it, isn’t there? Almost dreamlike. Editor: Yes, but observe the lithographic process – the labor involved. See how Devéria uses the grease crayon on the stone to achieve those subtle gradations? Curator: It's as if he's captured her very essence. The slightly wistful gaze, the elegant drape of her gown...it whispers of unspoken stories. Editor: Unspoken, perhaps, but consider the context. These prints were commodities. Reproductions made for consumption, democratizing art, and perpetuating ideals of beauty for the bourgeoise. Curator: Ah, but beauty nonetheless. And perhaps that beauty, spread wide, is a kind of revolution in itself? Editor: Maybe. At least now I know exactly how this was made. Curator: A lovely sentiment to hold onto.