Brustbild einer Dame mit langen Locken und weißem Umschlagetuch, gehalten von einer Agraffe 

Curator: Immediately, I feel drawn into her calm. There's a real stillness about this drawing. Editor: That's interesting. It is a lovely piece. What we’re looking at here is "Brustbild einer Dame mit langen Locken und weißem Umschlagetuch, gehalten von einer Agraffe" – which roughly translates to "Bust of a Lady with Long Curls and White Shawl, held by a clasp". It’s by Wallerant Vaillant. The artwork now resides at the Städel Museum and its Baroque influence is apparent with hints of Romanticism, especially in the delicacy of the portrait. Curator: Baroque, absolutely. The ornamentation is so lush and yet subdued in its gray palette. What grabs me is her expression. The lack of a huge smile, it lends an air of quiet strength or perhaps a subtle resistance, in the face of the formal portrait tradition. It's intimate. Editor: Indeed. Think about what it might mean to portray yourself with this quietude, and, what kind of image it projects? Consider the semiotics of shawls – shelter and presentation simultaneously – the pearls, her social status and maybe something else that is personal to her. Also, the long curls can show that this is a romantic portrayal as it makes one think of paintings that have loose flowing elements that draw you to imagine movement and fantasy. The detail captured by the dry media like pencil and pen allows the artwork to showcase her fine jewelry and clothing in all of its delicate complexity. Curator: And doesn’t that agraffe shine. But more than anything, that controlled use of medium gives it such life. It invites us to lean in, not just look. Do you know if this was part of a larger series? Editor: We cannot say if this artwork was part of a larger series of work but we can suggest that Vaillant portrays that the woman would like to have some type of agency in the overall design. It’s clear to me that she would have some kind of independence from a standard woman due to how she presents herself with that particular image, her romantic waves cascading so poetically against her shawl held together so delicately. It creates a really unforgettable image. What do you take away after analyzing the woman now? Curator: I would reiterate what you've so brilliantly analyzed in terms of the subject's sense of autonomy and composure despite the formal construct of the portrait. I walk away feeling deeply connected to the female form.