Charlotte Gunning, Later Mrs Stephen Digby 

Editor: Here we have a painting of "Charlotte Gunning, Later Mrs Stephen Digby," an oil on canvas attributed to George Romney. There's a delicate, almost ethereal quality to it. What do you see in this piece, especially in how he captures her presence? Curator: Ah, yes. What whispers to me here is Romney's embrace of light and shadow, flirting on the edge of the canvas like secrets shared only between the sitter and the artist. There is something intangible about it. The gaze seems both direct and distant, isn’t it so? It feels like we are peering into her inner world, a world tinted by dreams. But does that even matter, her personal inner-world? Maybe this captures what it meant to _be_ a lady? Editor: I see what you mean about her gaze. The veil adds to that sense of mystery, but I’m wondering if it’s also a comment on societal expectations? Curator: Possibly! Perhaps it’s the tension between revealing and concealing… her features rendered with such delicate realism while simultaneously cloaked by societal expectations... or veils? Is she defined by being knowable or unknowable, seen or unseen, free or constrained? Perhaps she's simply pondering her upcoming luncheon, ha! Tell me, what do you get lost in? Editor: I keep coming back to the way Romney uses light to create such soft edges, but also to draw attention to her face and the drape of the veil. It makes the portrait feel almost… alive. Curator: Yes, “alive” is a fine word. I agree wholeheartedly. Romney has managed to seize hold of fleeting ephemerality, a glimpse into humanity before it flutters away, to never be grasped again. Think you'll visit with her again, given a choice? Editor: Absolutely, I will. I appreciate how you illuminated some of the nuances I initially missed, especially thinking about the social implications represented by the veil. Thanks! Curator: And you made me remember what it’s like to view art with fresh eyes, before one becomes cynical and jaded! Cheers!