Untitled c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have an untitled work by Joseph Andrews, who lived from 1806 to 1873, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's quite a stark portrait; the tight cropping and monochrome give it an almost clinical feel. Curator: The sitter's gaze does seem rather direct, doesn’t it? A symbol, perhaps, of the emerging individual in the era, demanding recognition. Editor: Or perhaps it's the product of the printmaking process itself. The artist’s labor and tools all shape the final image. Curator: True, the means of production are significant. Still, I sense an echo of classical portraiture; a desire to portray an ideal rather than just an individual. Editor: Well, I see the traces of labor, of the hand that etched this. Curator: Perhaps we both see a truth, just from different angles. Editor: It's like looking at the same stone and seeing different facets.