Francis Calley Gray c. 19th century

Curator: Oh, he seems quite serious, doesn't he? A man of purpose, certainly. Editor: Indeed. Here we have Lazarus Gottlieb Sichling's rendering of Francis Calley Gray. Look at the book, a symbol of knowledge, held almost protectively. Curator: And the bust in the background—a classical echo? It suggests Gray saw himself within that tradition. Editor: Precisely. The bust, the books, the dark coat—it's all an carefully constructed image of enlightenment ideals. The way he holds the book is fascinating, its more like a symbolic object then a prop. Curator: Perhaps, but I also sense a genuine intellect. The stern gaze, though… I wonder what stories those eyes could tell. Editor: Images, in their way, tell stories too. It is just our job to read them.