Portret van generaal Jean-François-Aimé Dejean 1848 - 1853

Editor: Here we have Alphonse Farcy's "Portret van generaal Jean-François-Aimé Dejean," a pencil drawing from between 1848 and 1853. There's something very formal, almost severe, about it, despite being just a drawing. What do you see in this portrait? Curator: Well, first, it’s a reminder that even simple materials can speak volumes. I’m struck by the incredible detail Farcy achieves with just pencil – the embroidery on the uniform, the way light catches on the General's face. It almost feels like we could reach out and touch the fabric, feel the weight of those epaulettes! Have you ever thought about how portraiture, especially official portraiture like this, is so much about constructing a public image? Editor: Definitely, he looks like someone important. A person that deserves to be put into an artwork, you know? Curator: Precisely. Farcy isn't just recording a likeness, but solidifying Dejean's position and power through these carefully rendered details and, dare I say, by adding that almost romantic flair that only a drawing can provide? It makes me wonder, though, what kind of relationship Farcy might have had with the General to capture this personality through the rigor of the neoclassical artistic movement. Don't you think? Editor: That’s fascinating to consider! It's making me see it with different eyes. I'm wondering what I have missed. Curator: That’s the fun of art, isn't it? There is always something new to find, whether it's in a grand landscape or a humble pencil sketch. We've just started, I see that... Editor: Thanks to your thoughts, now I can perceive more of it, and also to appreciate how seemingly 'simple' tools, such as the pencil, may give the audience such a detailed image, as if we had the general right here!