Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire c. 1787s

Curator: Welcome! Today, we're exploring "Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire," an oil painting likely completed around 1787 by Gainsborough Dupont. What are your first thoughts? Editor: It strikes me immediately how much work went into that dress, into depicting every single fold of fabric. The materials, the sheer quantity of it all, screams luxury. Curator: Absolutely. The Duchess was a fascinating figure—a celebrity in her time. Dupont really captured her presence. Note the symbolic weight of the plumes on her hat; it signified aristocracy and perhaps a hint of playful rebellion. Editor: Rebellious, maybe. I'm also seeing incredible artistry with the oil paint itself. The canvas shows visible brushstrokes, giving texture. Imagine the labour—cultivating the flax for the linen canvas, the grinding of pigments... all that is invisibly contained within the representation of the silk. Curator: Fascinating, isn't it, to think about all those invisible steps! I think it mirrors how society saw women of her class–their labor was largely invisible while they were very much a symbol. I see the overall composition as communicating not only her status but also the artificiality of it. Editor: That's interesting because when I see all that lush nature, I'm reminded that landscape and gardens for the wealthy were also manufactured. Think of the human capital behind those parks. Even her "natural" setting is meticulously arranged consumption. Curator: You're right, it's all staged! Dupont positions her between naturalism and this cultivated ideal—much like the role she occupied. He was portraying both the person and the persona of “the Duchess." It is striking that it seems she is walking to us from her grounds. Editor: Exactly, Dupont captured the materiality of power through representing not only the woman herself but through showing how everything around her was meticulously fabricated by material process. I am left wanting to learn about how Dupont developed this visual vocabulary Curator: And I see it all through the lens of carefully curated symbols, mirroring cultural narratives we still grapple with today around power, image, and authenticity. Thank you. Editor: Indeed, quite fascinating the web of power and influence created here in paint and pigment. Thank you.