Head of a Woman Looking Up 1767

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to Gilles Demarteau’s "Head of a Woman Looking Up," residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's intriguing. The upward gaze, the loose rendering...there's a yearning, almost a supplication, evoked through the colored chalks. Curator: Indeed. The softness of the chalk allows Demarteau to subtly convey not just form, but also a certain vulnerability, reflective perhaps of the limited agency afforded to women during the period. Editor: I'm drawn to the materiality of the medium itself. Colored chalks allowed for nuanced shading and a certain softness, unlike the rigid lines of engraving. Consider the labor involved in producing these chalks, too. Curator: Absolutely, that tension between the delicate rendering and the constraints placed on women's expression offers a rich avenue for interpretation. Editor: It's a fascinating study in contrasts—both in technique and subject. Curator: A brief glimpse into the artistic and social complexities of its time, certainly.