Mary, Queen of Scots (from "La Touraine, Anienne et Moderne") 1845

This is Pierre-Edouard Frère’s print of Mary, Queen of Scots, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The composition strikes you first, doesn't it? The figure is centered, yet almost floating on the page. The stark contrast between the detailed engraving of Mary and the surrounding emptiness creates a visual tension. The fine lines and shading give shape to her face, capturing a sense of melancholy, while the ruff around her neck and the ornate details of her attire are meticulously rendered. Consider the semiotic implications here: the formal attire can be interpreted as a signifier of her royal status, yet the sombre tones and the austere composition might suggest a subversion of power. Is the artist perhaps playing with the established values of portraiture, using the visual language to express something beyond mere representation? The unsettling blank space around the figure is as important as the figure itself, challenging traditional notions of representation and inviting us to question the narrative being presented.