Headpiece c. 18th century

Curator: This small engraving, known as "Headpiece," is by an artist named Jean Beugnet, and it currently resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s funny, it looks like a very somber still life despite its diminutive size. Almost melancholic. Curator: There's a quietness to the arrangement. You've got books, a violin, a rather mournful-looking mask, all rendered with these very delicate lines. Editor: Yes, I see that! The violin and books might symbolize culture reserved for a privileged class, while the mask hints at the performative nature of power. Curator: The positioning is also really interesting. It's not neatly arranged; everything feels a bit... askew. Perhaps that's what lends itself to the somber mood. Editor: The engraving also evokes an interesting sense of materiality. The dense network of lines gives shape to the objects, making the books and violin almost palpable. Curator: It's like a secret, shared between the artist and the viewer, isn’t it? Editor: And perhaps a provocation to question the traditions that these objects represent.