Mr Wynn Ellis 

Curator: Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm created this marble bust of Mr. Wynn Ellis. Look at the formality of the composition. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of discomfort, it's a portrait of power frozen in stone, embodying the Victorian era's rigid social hierarchies. Curator: Boehm was a sought-after sculptor, favored by the elite. His portraits served a crucial public function. Editor: Absolutely, and this bust showcases how societal expectations are physically manifested, demanding conformity and reinforcing class distinctions. There are no subversive messages of social equality or resistance. Curator: It’s a representation of the Victorian gentleman, caught in time through marble. Editor: The silence it emanates screams volumes about the voiceless ones who were not deemed worthy of such representation. Curator: It's quite telling how art becomes a marker of what societies valued. Editor: Indeed. This bust makes us think about who has the privilege to be remembered, and how these choices reflect broader power structures.