Portret van Angélique Drouin 1767 - 1804

Editor: This is "Portret van Angélique Drouin" by Jean-Baptiste Michel, created sometime between 1767 and 1804. It's an intaglio print, an engraving on paper, and it's just brimming with details within details. It's so elaborate! What strikes you most when you look at this image? Curator: I find myself drawn to the layered symbolism. The portrait itself, encased in an oval frame adorned with what looks like laurel leaves – a classical symbol of triumph and status – tells us that we are looking at someone worthy of remembrance. And below, a stage...or perhaps it's meant to evoke an interior. Editor: I noticed that too! There are tiny figures down there! Curator: Exactly! They draw our eye and begs the question: what story is being presented? Perhaps we glimpse Drouin in a theatrical role. Remember, portraiture in this era wasn't just about likeness; it constructed an image, a narrative, for posterity. Even the bow and quiver of arrows hints at love, patronage or connection to the arts, perhaps? What elements speak most profoundly to you? Editor: That idea of constructing an image for posterity makes perfect sense when you point out the arrows, I was too caught up in the detail. It's fascinating how the symbols within the image shape our understanding of the person portrayed. Thanks! Curator: It is through decoding those layers that we engage in conversation with the past. Hopefully the symbols resonated with Drouin in real life.