David Hume 1764

Curator: This is Charles-Nicolas Cochin le jeune's portrait of David Hume, a diminutive roundel residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so… contained, almost pressed. The man looks rather severe, even though there's a delicacy in the line work. Curator: Indeed. Cochin was a master of line, and the printmaking process allowed for relatively mass production, influencing the circulation of philosophical thought. Editor: It's like holding a thought bubble. I wonder what Hume was thinking, how his expression might betray his theories. Curator: The materials themselves—paper, ink, the printing press—facilitated the spread of enlightenment ideals and shaped public discourse. Editor: It makes you wonder, doesn't it? How different Hume's legacy might have been without this little paper circle. Curator: Exactly, a potent reminder of the power dynamics inherent in the means of cultural production. Editor: I'll carry this severe little man with me, in my mind's eye. A pocket-sized philosopher.