A fair reflection 

Editor: This is "A Fair Reflection" by Delphin Enjolras, rendered in pastel. I'm immediately drawn to the delicate handling of light and the softness of the materials. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Note how Enjolras, celebrated for intimate genre paintings, chooses pastel. It wasn't merely about aesthetic preference. Pastel, associated with the decorative arts, subtly challenged the hierarchy of painting. It speaks volumes about the intended audience, often female consumers, and their consumption of art objects within the domestic sphere. How does the inclusion of objects like the mirror and perfume bottles inform the reading? Editor: It emphasizes the woman’s preparation, her labour in constructing her appearance, almost like a performance for someone… Curator: Precisely. Think about the socioeconomic implications: this intimate boudoir scene highlights leisure and access to these commodities. Even the loose garment suggests a life detached from manual labor. Could this work also subtly critique the roles imposed on women, where self-adornment becomes a central occupation? What is the purpose of portraying the subject with a contemplative glance towards the mirror? Editor: Maybe the artist is inviting us to reflect not only on the material wealth on display, but on the societal pressures affecting the subject and also impacting us. It’s interesting to consider how the materials and the scene depicted work together to tell that story. Curator: It is quite a story. I agree. We are really encouraged to delve deeper into those connections.