Ung pige med opstrøget hår, halvprofil 1896

Curator: This etching by Frans Schwartz, dating from 1896, is entitled "Ung pige med opstrøget hår, halvprofil" – or “Young Girl with Her Hair Up, Half Profile.” What strikes you immediately? Editor: There’s a striking melancholy to it. The tight cross-hatching almost feels claustrophobic, but the light on her face hints at resilience. I’m immediately drawn to the technical aspect, that such detail is created using etching is interesting in relation to gender at the time. Curator: The history of etching as a medium does connect interestingly to the shifting roles available to women in the late 19th century. This image, rendered in a traditionally 'female' medium also provides insight into prevailing notions of beauty, innocence and feminine virtue. How does this sitter fit into those notions? Editor: Her averted gaze complicates those notions, actually. The medium suggests intimacy but there's no direct engagement, disrupting the typical passive objectification that accompanied portraits of young women during this period. Do you know more about Frans Schwartz’s process? Curator: It's interesting to see how the aquatint grounds and the different textures created affect the depth and tone of the image, adding richness and complexity to the sitter's character. The very materiality adds dimension. It forces us to consider the working conditions of this time. Editor: Absolutely, and the final prints produced using different types of papers may give us insights into the labor processes of studios and consumption habits. Curator: That’s a crucial element that’s easy to miss, connecting the print to its journey beyond the artist’s studio, and tying the portrait to broader questions around identity. I had initially wanted to touch on her age; now that we've gone deeper, that seems only a point to depart from rather than fix upon. Editor: The power of material analysis allows one to look into the whole web of labor connected to creating and consuming. A melancholy process for me, indeed!