The Duet 

Editor: There’s a stillness to this. Almost like holding your breath before the first note. Curator: This is James Sant's "The Duet," housed right here at the Tate. Sant, who lived from 1820 to 1916, gives us a glimpse into the private world of Victorian women and their relationship to domestic artistry. Editor: Domestic artistry… a loaded phrase, isn’t it? There’s something subtly melancholic in their downward gazes, a feeling of being observed within their own space. Curator: Exactly. Their performance, even in this intimate setting, is still a performance within the confines of societal expectations and gendered roles. Editor: I wonder what they're singing... perhaps something subversive? Or maybe just a simple love song, imbued with the weight of unspoken desires. Curator: Precisely. It's a complex image, layered with the tensions of class, gender, and artistic expression. Editor: It’s a reminder that even the quietest moments can hold a revolution.