King's attendant 1750 - 1799

Editor: This is "King's Attendant," a sculpture from somewhere between 1750 and 1799, attributed to Giovanbattista Polidoro, housed here at the Met. The figure's elaborate costume and pose feel performative to me, but there is something about the material and style of his dress that seems to evoke a sort of historical, potentially Orientalist, fantasy. How do you see this sculpture within its historical moment? Curator: That's a very insightful observation about the performative nature of the figure, and it definitely connects to its historical context. We need to unpack what exactly an "attendant" might have meant to viewers at this time, what sort of court they imagined, and, more broadly, what sorts of global narratives it tells. Editor: Global narratives? Curator: Absolutely. Pieces like this tell us a lot about the intercultural dynamics of the Baroque era. What happens when artists or patrons, maybe in Naples where Polidoro worked, attempt to represent cultures that may feel exotic? How might that shape perception, or even justify social hierarchy and power dynamics? Editor: It’s interesting to think about art’s role in perpetuating those ideas. So this sculpture wasn’t just decorative, it was doing cultural work. Curator: Precisely. The 'attendant’s' posture and facial expression—the sum of his constructed image—speaks volumes about power, representation, and the consumption of other cultures during this period. The construction of an “other”, or “the Orient”, is not some neutral endeavor, it occurs within relationships of domination. Editor: This gives me a lot to think about regarding the consumption and interpretation of global art and artifacts. I came to look at Baroque art in a new light today, questioning who it really represents and for whose sake. Curator: And that is the most important thing! Question everything, and constantly reflect on what artworks like this tell us about both then and now.