Cameo of a Gentleman 1847 - 1850

Editor: Here we have "Cameo of a Gentleman" by Erastus Dow Palmer, crafted sometime between 1847 and 1850. The medium appears to be alabaster, though I understand marble was also used by this artist. It's a rather striking profile, so classically austere. What particularly grabs your attention about this piece? Curator: Oh, you know, it's funny, when I first saw this, I thought, "Now *that's* a fellow who's pondered the universe over a cup of lukewarm tea." Seriously though, it really evokes that 19th-century fascination with idealized portraiture and this embrace of Neoclassicism that’s very deliberate. See how Palmer strips everything down? No flamboyance, just pure line and form… almost mathematical in its precision. Does it remind you of ancient coins or medallions? Editor: Absolutely! The resemblance to ancient coinage is undeniable, especially with that stark profile view. And alabaster lends itself to this chaste purity, devoid of gaudy embellishment. I wonder, how did creating these portraits speak to the artistic conventions of the mid-19th century? Curator: That's the beauty, isn't it? In an age rapidly industrializing, there was this yearning for simpler times, for the 'nobility' of the classical world. Creating these kinds of portraits offered people an ideal: to look back at these older artistic traditions. Do you find it somewhat romantic or more about preserving status and the establishment? Editor: I think it might be a balance between both, longing and aspiration, which are two sentiments not always in sync. Thank you, it all gave me a new viewpoint on the Neoclassical style and the meaning it has when viewed with contemporary lenses. Curator: It was my pleasure; it makes me so happy to see someone taking these classic subjects and styles and looking at them in new and original ways.