Miss Benedetta Ramus 

Curator: Take a moment to regard “Miss Benedetta Ramus.” This oil painting, simply glowing from within, is by George Romney, a prominent English portrait painter. What's your first impression? Editor: She has an ethereal, dreamy quality. The softness of the light, the gentle smile... it's almost as if she’s a figure in a reverie, caught between worlds. The palette feels intentionally muted to add this dreamlike quality, or is it just me? Curator: Not just you. It reflects Romney’s signature style. Notice how the composition directs your attention, leading first to her face, and then down to her hands resting on that large, intriguing book. That book serves almost like a visual anchor. Editor: It really does! Tell me, what might this book symbolize in the portrait? We see her in that beautiful white dress and enormous headwear… she already seems to have so much. Curator: Precisely! The book could represent her intellectual curiosity, or perhaps her accomplishments in education – attributes sought in women of high social standing in that era. Consider, too, how the book’s spine faces outward. It seems meant to communicate something. The cover with some green, red, and gold decorations seems as fancy as the young woman in the picture, it surely shows how knowledge was considered a decorative signifier to show off and to flaunt. Editor: Ah, I see what you mean. It isn’t simply about showing she *can* read. There’s a whole discourse here, isn’t there? Also, thinking about portraiture conventions: Is she almost *too* demure, and passive here? Almost saccharine for a contemporary taste. I mean, maybe her power resided in her beauty. Is this the artist showing her most valuable commodity to society? Curator: It's possible. Some critics argue Romney tended to idealize his sitters, catering to the tastes of his aristocratic clientele. This touches on an intriguing aspect: Romney captures an outward expression of inner qualities while portraying Benedetta in her social role. There is so much going on in a portrait, you see? Editor: Absolutely. She’s far from shouting, or challenging the viewer here, she's almost asking a polite question with her eyes… It’s that combination of aspiration, beauty and mild intelligence. This portrait offers us such a vivid glimpse into the sensibilities of its time. Curator: I agree. And, maybe, seeing her depicted so, and us discussing and analyzing this many years later... it serves as a point of contemplation and maybe even challenge towards our own values and cultural expectations. It always comes full circle!