Dame voor gordijn en balustrade 1852 - 1898

Curator: Here we have "Dame voor gordijn en balustrade", created between 1852 and 1898 by Leopold Löwenstam. It's an engraving, a type of print. I see in this artwork the distinct marks of Romanticism. Editor: My first thought? Drama! She's clutching her throat, there's a fallen rose. Is she about to faint? This looks like a scene ripped straight from an opera. I bet the curtain behind her is velvet. Curator: It definitely carries that weight! Romanticism thrived on intense emotion, dramatic narratives, and an embrace of beauty that was often melancholic. Her pose, the way the light falls – it's all meticulously arranged to evoke a particular feeling. What is less obvious, maybe, is the weight this pose might have in art historical traditions, drawing on depictions of female hysteria, even the Virgin Mary fainting during the Passion. Editor: Ooh, I love that! It’s like she's playing a role, almost like a photograph meant to imitate painting—an actor performing in a very studied way, for sure, but performing nonetheless! And I suppose there's something melancholic about that inherent artificiality too. You know, you can almost hear the music swelling... or maybe that's just my imagination running wild! Curator: I'd argue it is not solely imagination. Consider the use of academic art practices to achieve this style and presentation, to generate an emotional reaction. These references help to show continuities in visual symbols across history. Academic art tried to portray stories and beauty ideals according to specific historical or even psychological tropes that may feel melodramatic now. Editor: Right. Maybe this moment isn't quite so spontaneous, but it does hit that romantic nerve. So, whether it’s heartfelt emotion or a calculated theatrical gesture... or perhaps both at once!... I’m here for it. And in the end I guess all those older depictions come down to performative emotion. Curator: Well put. Looking at it again, that controlled passion somehow makes it even more fascinating. Editor: Exactly. There is something quite moving here after all!