Woman with a high headdress wrapped around the chin: bust 1770 - 1803

Curator: At first glance, I perceive a somber mood emanating from this etching, an elderly woman adorned with a high headdress. Editor: This portrait, titled "Woman with a high headdress wrapped around the chin: bust," by Constantino Cumano, was created between 1770 and 1803 and resides here at the Rijksmuseum. What do you notice about the materiality? Curator: I'm drawn to the density of the lines, how they sculpt her face, age, and inner world. The cross-hatching creates depth and a rather imposing shadow, imbuing the portrait with baroque undertones. I find myself reflecting on the symbolic significance of the headdress, an object of distinction but also concealment. Could it speak to cultural memory? Editor: It certainly could. Focusing on materiality, observe the artist’s handling of etching. The labor and care with which Cumano articulated the textural contrasts between skin and fabric invite speculation about contemporary perceptions of female beauty and virtue and the culture of consumerism driving such distinctions. The burr suggests that Cumano may have allowed his plates to wear, using these imperfections to explore concepts of art, commodity and skill. What does it suggest to you? Curator: You point to such fascinating juxtapositions. Beyond materiality and labour, I sense echoes of realism through this treatment. This resonates with notions of historical truth, lending this figure, draped in material history, both power and presence. This could signal the transition to different ways of envisioning a woman through symbols that indicate social status, class, labor. Editor: Cumano successfully uses materials to both conceal and disclose. These lines create, ultimately, an emotive viewing experience where we consider women through their context of materiality, not in spite of it. Curator: Agreed; thank you for these material considerations. For me, contemplating symbols interwoven in our psychological fabric encourages thoughtful engagement and self-examination.