Lola de Valence 1863

Curator: This is Edouard Manet's print, "Lola de Valence," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. The dimensions are roughly 26 by 18 centimeters. Editor: It has a rather somber mood, doesn’t it? The monochrome lends it an almost photographic quality. The figure, though small, commands attention. Curator: Indeed. Manet's fascination with Spanish culture during this period heavily influenced his work. Lola, a dancer, becomes a symbol of the exotic and the theatrical. Editor: And there’s a deliberate flattening of space, a rejection of academic depth that was quite radical at the time, marking a shift in the public's idea of art. Curator: She echoes Goya's figures, doesn't she? The use of black ink creates a sense of drama, but also of mystery, of inner life. Editor: Absolutely. Manet is using her image as a cultural statement, as a sign of the avant-garde challenging academic norms. Curator: The interplay of light and shadow seems to highlight the cultural complexities embedded in the image of the Spanish dancer. Editor: It’s fascinating how a seemingly straightforward portrait opens up into a broader discussion about art, society, and representation.