Femme assise, de profil à droite, jouant de l'eventail 1720 - 1770

Editor: This is "Femme assise, de profil à droite, jouant de l'eventail," created sometime between 1720 and 1770 by Francois Boucher. It's a drawing, probably an ink print. I'm struck by the contrast between the delicate linework of her face and the bold, almost chaotic hatching used to depict the folds of her dress. What stands out to you in terms of composition? Curator: It is the very articulation of those contrasts, the interplay between defined form and textural abstraction, that provides its visual interest. Notice how the relatively sparse lines describing the figure's upper body and head serve to highlight the dynamism of the fabric, rendering the sitter a study in textures and forms. Is it a study or a final piece? Editor: That’s a great point. It really does draw your eye down the page. So, you’re thinking the lack of a clear focal point in her expression pushes it toward a study? Curator: Precisely. It's as if the figure is merely a structural element, subordinate to the textural qualities of her clothing. Do you see any repetition of forms or implied lines? Editor: Yes, the fan echoes the shape of the dress, creating a sort of visual rhyme. I guess I hadn't really considered how little her facial expression factors into the overall impact. I was too busy looking for emotion there! Curator: Precisely, the work privileges surface over depth, the visual qualities of line and form dominating narrative or representational concerns. That emphasis is intrinsic to formalism. It encourages us to consider art for its intrinsic qualities, not its representational function. Editor: I see what you mean! So it’s less about *who* she is and more about how all those visual elements interact and lead the viewer around the page? Curator: Exactly! A lesson on *how* we read. Editor: This has given me a whole new way of approaching drawings; it's about its very self first. Curator: Agreed. And that perhaps, the “art of art”, comes through only our careful appreciation of its form and structure.