Portrait of Mme. Ramel 1852

Editor: This is Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres's "Portrait of Mme. Ramel," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a detailed pencil and chalk drawing. All those frills on her dress… I’m curious, what strikes you most about this work? Curator: Ingres's portraits, including this one, speak volumes about the production of social status. Consider the laborious detail in rendering Mme. Ramel’s clothing. It's not just about representation, but about the display of wealth and the societal value placed on refined craftsmanship. It begs the question: what labor went into producing and maintaining such a dress? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, considering art through the lens of materiality offers new interpretations.