Mary De Brabant n.d.

Editor: Here we have a bronze sculpture called "Mary De Brabant," and while we don't have a firm date, it's by Prince Paolo Troubetskoy. There’s something very classical about the pose, but also an almost unfinished quality in the roughly hewn bronze. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, the first thing that strikes me is the depiction of Mary not as a distant royal figure but as a woman occupying space, her expression hinting at inner thoughts. Troubetskoy sculpted this in an era where women were actively contesting traditional roles. I see this piece reflecting shifting perceptions around female agency and the expectations of representing women in art, how do you see it? Editor: I see that now! I hadn't considered how subversive it might have been. The 'unfinished' texture feels almost… rebellious. Curator: Exactly! Think about the tradition of Neoclassical sculpture—idealized, smooth surfaces. Troubetskoy’s realism and visible tool marks defy that perfection, perhaps echoing the societal upheaval of the period. Is there something about her clothes that attracts your eye? Editor: She is sitting very informally in all that drapery. Almost casually, but royally? Curator: The informality juxtaposed with her royal title creates an interesting tension, blurring the lines between public persona and private self. Do you feel it connects to current themes we still address? Editor: Definitely! It reminds me of contemporary conversations around gender and the complexities of representing female identity. I am so much more attentive now. Curator: And, that tension invites us to contemplate the multifaceted nature of identity itself, don't you think? The work seems like it belongs in today's conversations about the image of women.