[Mezzotint portrait of a Young Man in Profile, from The St. Memin Collection of Portraits] 1862

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to this striking mezzotint portrait of a young man, dating to 1862 and part of the St. Memin Collection. Note the subject is presented in profile. Editor: What a cool cat. He's got this "just stepped out of a Jane Austen novel" vibe. I bet he's off to break some hearts at a country ball. So dapper in his tailcoat. Curator: Absolutely, that’s partly due to its Neoclassical influence, specifically reflecting trends in figuration at the time. Notice the use of line, achieved via graphite on paper; this enhances that effect, emphasizing rationality and order. These works often idealized their subjects within specific class-based parameters. Editor: Mmm, maybe. It’s more like the drawing captures a wistful sadness. Look at his lips. Or the subtle gray shading that just kills the light in his eye. Gives you the impression of a caged bird, right? It reminds me a bit of my brother in high school, forced to go to cotillion. Curator: That resonates interestingly with the gender dynamics embedded in such portraiture. It’s not just a simple rendering of likeness. We might consider the limitations imposed on young men of this era – expectations around inheritance, social standing, restricted emotional expression. This work makes me wonder about what the sitter's opportunities were. Editor: Right! It's funny, a first glance this just appears so stately and stiff and I find it kind of endearing because he might be having conflicting feelings about being forced to live to this ideal of presentation. Also, someone needs to let him know that there’s gel for the hair in the 21st Century, which might make it work better, visually, if he’s going for a sleek presentation. Curator: Precisely, the portrait's success lies in prompting these types of inquiries. It goes beyond the individual and becomes representative of a social and cultural moment. The profile becomes a lens. Editor: Definitely, and perhaps seeing those social restraints in his eyes brings some life to what might seem a simple portrait, or at least provides more substance that just someone's portrait, a person long dead, or forgotten by everyone else but us.