Artémise 1634 - 1645

Curator: Looking at "Artémise," an engraving created between 1634 and 1645 by Gilles Rousselet, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, what strikes you first? Editor: It has such an unexpectedly wistful, melancholic air to it. Considering the historical context usually linked with Artemisia, I expected something more forceful, less introspective. Curator: Rousselet’s handling of line does lend it a softness. You're right, it’s a gentler take. Note the fine details in her drapery, cascading almost theatrically, which really draws your eyes. And that Chalice. There is also a mausoleum featured in the background landscape—do you find that those elements change the tenor? Editor: Massively so. It feels as if he wants the engraving itself to serve as another monument to her. Everything from the ornate detail of the dress to the architecture in the distance frames Artémise not as simply strong, but steeped in ritual and memory. I'm intrigued by that little crown: how are we meant to receive that in terms of royal symbolism? Curator: It almost softens her gaze. You see that delicate cross hatching technique he uses to delineate shadow? He does that here as well, casting the suggestion that, although this monarch once possessed immense power, he has shown her also to be somewhat withdrawn; alone. That tear almost seems too realistic. The image is filled with those kinds of small details. And with a glance toward the themes represented, such as that of loss, it’s an altogether stunning portrayal. Editor: Indeed. Looking at it together now, I feel drawn to it differently than before. A powerful rendering of a woman remembered.