Zittende jonge vrouw en staande man bij tamboers en schutters 1830 - 1851

Curator: Here we have Adolphe Mouilleron’s, "Zittende jonge vrouw en staande man bij tamboers en schutters," created between 1830 and 1851. The work is rendered in ink, creating both a print and a drawing of an intimate moment within a group of armed soldiers. Editor: There's an interesting sense of remove created by the greyscale and what appears to be an overcast day in the illustration. The work's subdued tones suggest a narrative shrouded in conflict, not necessarily within the landscape, but definitely between those presented within it. Curator: It's significant that Mouilleron presents this tender domestic scene amidst the stark reality of military life, specifically within a company of the civic militia. The Romanticism in the group portrait is certainly intriguing, as the placement asks us to question the function and place of femininity amidst a militaristic period. How is this moment challenging social expectations? Editor: The means by which this image was made seems paramount to consider. The transfer of ink to create multiple copies challenges notions of uniqueness; by creating a drawing intended as print, this seems like it might invite a dialogue about labor. This print makes me consider, how did its widespread availability influence perceptions of civic duty and gender roles at the time? Curator: I'm drawn to how Mouilleron uses light and shadow to emphasize the delicate features of the seated woman, highlighting perhaps her vulnerability and juxtaposing this to the strong lines of the armed soldiers. By understanding the relationship between the lithographic production and Romanticism we can begin to investigate the identity, gender, and racial expectations present at the time, given this relationship of tension between these individuals. Editor: I see your point, especially given the very material presence of weaponry so near to domesticity. However, by further understanding how mass production of such prints circulated and influenced viewers, it may provide us a crucial access point for understanding consumer culture in this period. The labour behind this is something to note, and it cannot be extricated from any other theme within the image. Curator: Indeed, it's an image that allows us to examine social conventions around duty, domesticity and conflict and consider their continued resonances today, even through art-making methods. Editor: This image makes us aware of art as product of a set of specific circumstances that can tell us much about how artists operated, what possibilities the industrial processes allowed, and how artists were engaging with social context.