Mezetin c. 18th century

Curator: This is "Mezetin," an engraving. The artist is Benoît Audran the Younger, and it's held in the Harvard Art Museums. My first thought is "melancholy serenade." Editor: Yes, and that melancholy is coded. "Mezetin" was a stock character in the Comédie Italienne, often portrayed as a sad, yearning lover—a figure of unrequited desire. Look how Audran has rendered him: languid pose, averted gaze. Curator: He's completely lost in his own little world, isn't he? A world of striped fabric, foliage, and… what is that look in his eye? Editor: Perhaps yearning, but also critique. These characters, though comedic, often challenged the rigid social hierarchies of the time. The hidden figure in the background amplifies that tension. Who is she? Why is she so aloof? Curator: She's like a ghost, a reminder of what he can’t have. It makes me wonder about the expectations placed on men. That to be seen as strong they must hide such vulnerable feelings. Editor: Exactly! And this image, though seemingly about romance, speaks volumes about the performative aspects of gender and class. Curator: I like that shift in perspective, the idea that he's not just sad, but maybe trapped. Editor: Right! It’s a reminder that art is never just about what we see on the surface.