Andrew Preston Peabody (1811-1893) 1885

Curator: I see a quiet authority. There's a certain stillness emanating from this portrait. Editor: This is Frederic Porter Vinton’s image of Andrew Preston Peabody, rendered in oil on canvas; its scale is quite imposing at nearly four feet tall. Curator: Imposing, yes, but also so…contained. Notice the way the dark suit merges with the background, drawing all the attention to his face and hands. Editor: And the book! A symbol, of course, but also a physical object, crafted with labor. What texts did Peabody favor, I wonder? Were they finely bound, or utilitarian? This gives insight into class and value. Curator: Perhaps it’s the potential held within the pages that Vinton aimed to capture, the quiet revolution of thought. It's a lovely study in contrasts, dark and light, presence and absence. Editor: A portrait of power, undeniably, made possible by material means. Curator: Indeed, and also a subtle meditation on the life of the mind.