A Lady With A Fan 

Curator: Albert Lynch's painting "A Lady With A Fan" gives us an interesting view into turn-of-the-century academic portraiture, it’s an oil on canvas, unsigned, but in a style associated with that era. Editor: Oh, she’s dreamy. A romantic vision in creams and muted rose. And a *fan*, how fantastically clichéd but yet, here, absolutely works! Does it say, "I'm coy," or "It’s awfully warm in here, isn't it?"? I love it. Curator: Well, the fan could be a multitude of things depending on your perspective of visual cues that the artist employed, the fan definitely holds some weight, but what do you think Lynch wants us to see beyond social accessories? What secrets does he allude to, concealed behind that serene visage and, yes, perfectly executed brushstrokes? Editor: Secrets? Heavens, Curator, she *is* the secret. She's an enigma wrapped in chiffon and tied with a burgundy ribbon. Look at her eyes—knowing, slightly amused, but distant. The red of the sash, that's where the fire is in this otherwise placid sea of propriety. A flash of passion. It’s as though her inner life were blooming through her dress like… well, like roses pressing from beneath a fog. Curator: Speaking of roses, the almost flower-like pattern near her shoulders seem to imply a blooming woman that has overcome obstacles and is secure and full of growth in her place and surroundings. The burgundy tones here serve more to ground than enflame. Editor: Hmm. Perhaps you are correct. The shadows that envelop the upper portion of the figure provide a visual support. The red then symbolizes something solid rather than exciting, but look! At her gaze: what is it focused on, away in the distance like that, perhaps suggesting her mind wanders quite a bit, or is elsewhere while sitting? Curator: And I agree, It's almost as if we’ve caught her off-guard, her thoughts trailing somewhere just beyond our grasp, a woman alive to possibility, not pinned down by convention but elevated by the constraints around her, like she will never stop changing! Editor: You know, I think that may be exactly it! Thanks, as always, for shedding light beyond my initial "ooohs" and "aaahs." Now I see that lady. Curator: Anytime, it's all I am really here for. It will be interesting to see if other listeners hear the same things!