Jean-Martin Mitantier, Clerk of the City Hall of Paris c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Pierre Drevet's engraving of Jean-Martin Mitantier. The theatrical pose and the lush background really strike me. How do you read this portrait within its historical moment? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider how Drevet uses the visual language of power and status to depict a clerk. Who had access to representation, and how did they choose to be seen? The staging here challenges any simple idea of class distinction. Editor: So, you're suggesting the portrait complicates traditional social hierarchies? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the assumed roles and representations of individuals in 18th-century Parisian society. What does it mean to present oneself in a way that potentially subverts expectations? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about the agency of the sitter. Curator: Exactly! It's a potent reminder that identities and roles were, and still are, complex and actively negotiated.