Portret van Anne de la Vigne 1722 - 1775

Editor: Here we have a print titled "Portret van Anne de la Vigne," likely created sometime between 1722 and 1775 by Georg Friedrich Schmidt. It’s quite striking how the artist captured her likeness using engraving. What do you see in this piece, focusing perhaps on its structural components? Curator: The most salient aspect for me is the deployment of line. Notice the hatching and cross-hatching, particularly around the face and within the oval frame. It builds form and volume in the absence of color. It is not about likeness but about representation using line and form within set structure. Note how Schmidt employs this technique to describe the texture of her hair and gown. Observe, too, how the regularity of the lines creates an impression of texture and tonal range despite its absence of color, focusing our attention solely on formal relationships. Editor: The framing is really interesting too. Is there any symbolic reason to put it in an oval like this? Curator: Indeed. The oval, resting on that architectural plinth, serves to monumentalize the subject, almost as if presented upon a pedestal in perpetuity. Note the geometry used as part of this framing. How do the strict geometric elements contribute to the impact of the work as a whole? The linear precision and structured composition offer an idealization rather than pure representation. Editor: That's a great observation about idealization. I was initially drawn to what I perceived to be realism, but I now recognize a highly stylized construction. Thanks so much for sharing this viewpoint! Curator: It's through attentive formal assessment that the deeper significance and craftsmanship become more fully revealed, wouldn't you say?