Pierre Mignard c. 18th century

Editor: So, this is Georg Friedrich Schmidt's portrait of Pierre Mignard. It's a very grand depiction, but almost a little...intimate? What do you see when you look at it? Curator: Ah, yes, Schmidt captures Mignard with such intriguing intensity. It is intimate, isn't it? I'm drawn to the performative aspect—the wig, the robes. Is this Mignard the man, or Mignard the artist, the courtier, the…myth? Editor: Myth! I like that idea. Curator: It's as if Schmidt is asking us, "Can you separate the image from the reality?" The answer, of course, is... maybe not? Editor: I guess it's all a performance, really. Curator: Exactly! Art reflecting life, reflecting art. Beautiful, isn't it?