Edelinck c. 19th century

Curator: This is "Edelinck" by Gustave Lévy, currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The stark contrast immediately creates a powerful sense of formality, doesn’t it? Editor: It does! I'm struck by the wig. It practically glows, a cloud of white against the darkness. I wonder about the weight, the texture... Curator: Exactly! Consider the cultural significance of such attire. The materiality speaks volumes about status and labor, both visible and invisible. Editor: Yes, it’s a costume, a performance of power. But there's also a vulnerability in the subject's eyes that complicates the whole picture. Curator: Fascinating. It suggests the tensions inherent in the production of identity through material means and social constructs. Editor: It's more than that. It's about seeing the person beneath the artifice, even for just a moment. Curator: An interesting perspective, hinting at the complexities of analyzing portraits. Editor: Indeed, a dance between the visible and the felt, always.