Portret van Elizabeth Percy 1759 - 1771

Editor: Here we have Edward Fisher's engraving of Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Northumberland, made sometime between 1759 and 1771. The detail is incredible. There's a real weight and presence to her, despite being rendered in monochrome. How do you see this portrait, given the period and Fisher's hand? Curator: It whispers of power, doesn't it? A carefully constructed image, layers of meaning embedded within the lines of the engraving. Think of the Rococo period - playful, ornamental, yet tempered here by the gravitas of her position. I see a dialogue between artistry and authority. Notice the detail in the ermine, the precise rendering of the jewels. Each element proclaims status, but do you feel a personal connection, a hint of vulnerability, or just officialdom? Editor: Mostly officialdom, to be honest, although those enormous earrings… they almost feel rebellious somehow! What was Fisher trying to capture, beyond just a likeness? Curator: Fisher was tapping into a carefully cultivated image of aristocratic power. He wasn't merely replicating her features, he was solidifying her place in the societal tapestry. Perhaps the earrings represent something personal, something playful amidst the grandeur. Maybe a secret statement of the subject that provides us with some ambiguity that we should explore with fresh eyes? He's playing with the viewer as much as he's portraying Elizabeth Percy. What would your artistic mind want to capture and create in the current modern climate? Editor: Interesting question! Probably more mess, and fewer jewels... Curator: Exactly! And there lies the magic – how each generation reinterprets these glimpses into the past, and perhaps into ourselves. Editor: I’ll definitely think twice before judging her earrings now. Thank you!