Portrait of a Woman c. 18th century

Editor: This is Luigi Crespi’s "Portrait of a Woman", housed at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m really struck by the textures – the velvet, the fur, the pearls. What can you tell me about the materials used and their significance in a portrait like this? Curator: The sumptuous fabrics and jewels aren't just decorative; they speak volumes about the sitter's access to resources and the labor required to produce them. Think about the global trade networks necessary to obtain those pearls or the skill of the artisans who crafted that velvet. Editor: So, it's not just about beauty, but about power and the means of production? Curator: Precisely! Each element is a carefully constructed signifier of wealth and status, reflecting the social and economic systems that enabled their existence. What does the display of such materials suggest about the intended audience for this portrait? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It definitely gives me a new appreciation for the work that went into this piece. Curator: Indeed! And it invites us to question who profits from such displays of opulence.