Seated Violinist c. 1725

Curator: This is Nicolas Lancret's "Seated Violinist," a red chalk drawing residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The figure seems so relaxed. There's a softness to the chalk that invites a sense of intimacy, like a stolen moment. Curator: Lancret, working in the 18th century, was deeply enmeshed in the world of courtly entertainment. Consider the cultural capital associated with musical performance at the time. Editor: Yes, and the violin itself – a potent symbol of harmony, but also potentially of disruption. Bare feet, though—odd, right? Is he a vagabond, an aristocrat in disguise? Curator: Perhaps the bare feet were a subversive gesture. It would be easy to imagine this drawing as a study for a more elaborate painting, engaging with class and performance. Editor: It certainly gives one pause. I find myself meditating on the tensions between artistic expression and social constraints. Curator: And I on how the drawing reflects the societal expectations, and potential subversions, inherent in that period.