Charles Bonnet 1778

Curator: This is "Charles Bonnet," a print crafted in 1778 by J.F. Clemens, residing here at the SMK. It's a portrait of the Genevan naturalist and philosopher. What strikes you most about it? Editor: The stillness. There’s a palpable quiet about it. He looks so intensely focused, like he’s single-handedly holding back the tide of human chaos with the power of thought alone. You can almost hear the rustling of the page he’s so absorbed in. Curator: Clemens produced this work during a time when printmaking served an essential role in disseminating knowledge and portraying important intellectuals. Images of enlightenment figures like Bonnet were carefully crafted to project authority and scholarship. The prints would circulate among academic circles and the broader public. Editor: He’s definitely projecting some serious intellectual horsepower! The details, like the slightly smudged glasses resting on the book, add this relatable human touch to an otherwise imposing figure. Makes him less marble statue, more thinking human. Curator: The details absolutely matter. Clemens, though, had a vested interest to create and cater to what the public wanted and how they viewed figures like Charles. As you know, Bonnet contributed significantly to the fields of natural history and philosophy, advocating for preformationism, and it makes you wonder how Clemens thought about that, how those concepts play a role here in Bonnet's imagery. Editor: That makes the composition so fascinating. There’s a tension between the informality of the setting – the book, the casual clothing – and the rigid frame that contains it all. The world wanted these figures tamed, right? Pinned like specimens? But even then you couldn't really hold him, like trying to contain smoke. It reminds me of the scientific impulse itself: the attempt to hold a piece of the world steady enough to examine it. Curator: A truly perceptive note. The Enlightenment itself was an exercise of the human endeavor, that is something that shouldn’t go unmentioned. But now that we mentioned him, let us reflect on how J.F. Clemens plays into this. There’s a lot to dissect within his practice that certainly deserves future talks. Editor: I concur, It does leave you pondering the invisible hands at play, doesn't it? A dance between sitter, artist, and society. Food for thought, indeed.