Portrait of Mariana Wertmüller 1786

Curator: This is Adolf Ulric Wertmüller's "Portrait of Mariana Wertmüller," a pencil drawing dating to April 1786, now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's such a delicate rendering. The limited tonal range gives it a quiet, almost contemplative mood. Curator: Note how the headscarf partially obscures her, creating an aura of modesty. Head coverings often symbolize piety or respectability. Editor: And yet, it also seems to frame her face, almost as if she is staging this very display. It reminds us that even seemingly simple images are constructed, crafted objects. Curator: Indeed, the interplay of visibility and concealment is intriguing. Perhaps it speaks to the constraints placed upon women and the ways they navigated them. Editor: Or maybe it’s about the price of imported graphite at the time! Such simple materials can evoke such complex readings. Curator: A fitting reminder that symbols are embedded within the fabric of material reality. Editor: Both, of course, inextricably woven together.