Staande vrouw met waaier in hand 1732 - 1776

Curator: Gilles Demarteau, working sometime between 1732 and 1776, offers us this delicate piece, titled "Standing Woman with Fan in Hand," executed with pen, pencil, and etching techniques. What strikes you immediately? Editor: It feels so poised, almost self-consciously elegant. The coloring is muted, but the line work gives it a vibrant feel. It’s like catching a fleeting moment, but staged. Curator: Exactly. The composition reinforces this staged feeling. The woman, rendered in profile, is framed by a classical balustrade and what appears to be a draped curtain, suggesting a theatrical backdrop. The subtle coloring creates depth, further emphasized by Demarteau's mastery of line. Editor: And she is really bundled up. Fur trim, wrapped headscarf, fan! What's she planning? Secret rendezvous? It reads like anticipation frozen in time, as if she's about to turn and deliver a clever line. Curator: Her dress clearly situates her within the Rococo style, with its emphasis on grace, ornamentation, and the aristocratic lifestyle. Notice how her slight smile and the delicate fan suggest coquetry. This era favored depictions of pleasure and refinement, and Demarteau captures this essence beautifully through form and line. Editor: Absolutely! It's fascinating how such a relatively simple medium—pencil and etching—conveys so much. It really makes you think about how an artist makes specific choices when they use particular techniques. Was it cheaper, did he favor working on paper or was this intended to have wide circulation, given how easy is it to produce copies via the etching technique? Curator: Indeed. The technical choice of etching allowed for reproduction, potentially broadening the work’s reach and cementing Demarteau’s influence as a skilled draughtsman and printmaker who specialized in the 'manière de crayon,' which replicated the appearance of chalk drawings, a much-admired quality during his time. Editor: It's funny. You look at something from so long ago, and it suddenly speaks. "Standing Woman with Fan in Hand" turns out to have depth. Curator: Precision of craft, even when whispering quietly, always does.