Portret van Maria Malibran c. 1831 - 1836

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this print, "Portret van Maria Malibran," engraved by Charles Turner around 1831 to 1836. It exemplifies Romantic-era portraiture. Editor: There’s an almost operatic melancholy to this image, isn't there? The swirling clouds, the theatrical pose—it’s a stage, even in monochrome. I wonder what music she’s hearing. Curator: Absolutely, and as an engraving, it allows for mass distribution of her image. We see the confluence of celebrity culture, Romantic ideals, and the democratization of art through printmaking. It would have brought the celebrated singer Maria Malibran into countless homes. The details involved would allow to admire it for years on end! Editor: Makes you wonder, though, about the artist, Charles Turner, right? Like, was he really "feeling" all those melodramatic storm clouds when he etched this plate? Did he meet her? Or was this a pure act of skilled reproduction, a craftsman serving the fame machine? Curator: Good questions! Turner was known for his skill in mezzotint and engraving, adapting paintings into widely accessible formats. His role highlights the tension between artistic expression and the reproductive nature of printmaking; his name at the bottom makes us question, but also admire the work, which may only come off as a mere "reproduction". Editor: So he’s almost like a translator. He took this woman and transferred that stage aura into something someone could display. Looking closer now, I realize that I want to hear her, which shows he successfully created that connection and feeling towards her through just black and white! Curator: Precisely. This print, while seemingly a simple portrait, really reveals a lot about 19th-century media culture. Its impact would have spread immensely and helped shape the celebrity that she deserved, or became, whether it was an intention or not. Editor: I see her now—not just as Maria Malibran the singer, but also as Maria Malibran, a material product, molded by cultural forces as much as by talent. Interesting stuff.