Portrait of a poet 1785 - 1815

Editor: This is "Portrait of a Poet," made between 1785 and 1815, attributed to Johann Valentin Sonnenschein. It’s a plaster relief. The piece has such a formal and composed feel, doesn’t it? What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: What interests me is how this portrait participates in and potentially critiques Neoclassical ideals. We see the poet rendered with clean lines and an emphasis on intellect, hallmarks of the era's interest in reason and order. But is it also romanticized? Consider the material itself – plaster is accessible. Was Sonnenschein making art available across class? And that second face: who is that? Why are they small and off to the side? Editor: That's a great point about accessibility and class. I hadn't considered the material in that light, more that this portrait evokes historical concepts. I was hyper-focused on the individual poet. And it makes me wonder how Sonnenschein engaged with or challenged the dominant cultural and political narratives through his portraits. I want to know about both figures shown here! Curator: Exactly! By subtly positioning this "portrait" of a poet amongst multiple class and social signifiers, is Sonnenschein commenting on the roles of artists and poets in society? Is it revolutionary, accessible? Or just another means of portraiture by which to perform status? Who has access, who gets represented, and how is it controlled? What do you think of that smaller profile? Editor: I originally saw it as just an extra ornamental figure, part of the wallpaper almost! But now, knowing more about you contextualize art in relation to historical, social justice issues it’s obviously way more. Thanks for all your great and pertinent points about representation! Curator: Absolutely! That tension is precisely where the richness lies, where art opens up dialogue about identity, power, and representation. We see that not everything old, is conservative; and not everything "portrait" really shows what it sets out to achieve.