Girl Playing with Drum n.d.

Editor: This is "Girl Playing with Drum" by Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin. It's undated, rendered with pencil and chalk on paper, and resides at the Art Institute of Chicago. The drawing has a kind of… quiet energy to it, like a snapshot before the music starts. What do you see in it? Curator: It whispers of simpler times, doesn't it? I imagine Chardin, in his wonderfully rumpled wig, capturing a stolen moment of childhood. Notice how the soft lines cradle the girl, almost protecting her exuberance. She isn't posed; she's simply being. Does the way Chardin employs light remind you of anyone? Editor: Maybe Rembrandt? There’s definitely a sense of highlighting a particular subject and mood using a mostly monochromatic palette. But, Rembrandt can feel so serious, even stern, while this feels much more… playful. Curator: Exactly! It's like comparing a formal waltz to a child's spontaneous jig. Chardin has captured the spirit of unburdened joy and that sets his artwork apart. Consider the setting; rather undefined except for maybe a horizon. And is that an ornate toy on the floor? Editor: It looks like some kind of fancy whirligig or game, lying abandoned for a moment. Like, "drums are way more fun than this." It's a funny detail. Curator: I wonder if it is not there by chance, however! Do you imagine it is related somehow to the role of females in his time? Editor: Now that you mention it...maybe! Is he saying something about childhood expectation? This changes my perception! I hadn't thought about it like that. Curator: It is a constant negotiation! In any case, Chardin elevates a humble, domestic scene, capturing a flicker of real emotion. And it continues to teach us something, centuries later.