Strolling Woman 1880 - 1886

Curator: Jean-Louis Forain created this intriguing etching, "Strolling Woman," now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The plate itself measures about 15 by 10 centimeters. What strikes you first about it? Editor: The darkness, definitely. It’s a very moody piece, almost theatrical. The woman seems both confident and vulnerable in the harsh light. Curator: Forain often depicted scenes from Parisian life. Considering the woman's attire and the visible "BO" and "40" in the background, likely referring to a box at the opera, can you infer anything? Editor: Given Forain's social circles, and the period, it points to the rituals of display and the economy of desire surrounding Parisian theaters. The etching process itself – the labor, the acid – mirrors the corrosive social dynamics he portrays. Curator: It's a sharp observation. The woman, adorned with what seems to be a feathered hat and boa, becomes a spectacle, a commodity under the male gaze. Editor: Absolutely. It's a potent distillation of late 19th-century anxieties about class, gender, and representation. Curator: Seeing it through your eyes certainly enriches my understanding. Editor: And yours helps illuminate the historical framework. A worthwhile collaboration!