Mrs. James G. Almy (Myra Eliot) 1795 - 1798

Curator: My first impression is… vulnerability. There’s something almost spectral about this miniature. Editor: Indeed. What we’re looking at is a pencil drawing by Edward Greene Malbone, made between 1795 and 1798, titled “Mrs. James G. Almy (Myra Eliot)." Curator: It's small, right? These miniatures are so intimate. It feels like I'm holding a secret, gazing at this woman's likeness. The details around the lacy shawl are beautifully rendered, capturing its ephemeral, delicate presence. And those eyes... they really draw you in. Editor: The intimacy of miniatures provided an accessible, personal way of commemorating individuals in the late 18th century. What’s particularly interesting here is how Myra Eliot is presented. Her gaze is soft, yes, but direct and engaging. We see a departure from hyper-idealized representations and perhaps more attention to the personality of the sitter. Curator: Absolutely. I love that suggestion of the 'real' person breaking through. The artist isn't simply creating a symbol of beauty, but revealing something human. Did you notice the curls springing wildly from her head, creating a frame? To me, they almost create the mood of a storm, or perhaps a cloud enveloping the calm below. Editor: I see what you mean. It's also fascinating to consider the social positionality of women at this time. Her gaze and delicate clothing place her within a specific societal framework. Myra's class status is affirmed by her refined demeanor and dress, and simultaneously there is a very delicate subversion to this notion given the curls you mention, disrupting the very composed effect the artist sets out to create. Curator: It's like the portrait's wrestling with itself: stillness and motion; status and soul... Malbone's work invites us to not just see, but also to deeply reflect on who we were and who we could be, especially as we continue navigating this complicated moment in time. Editor: Absolutely, a dialogue with the past through a feminist lens enables us to recontextualize it, discovering the nuanced, multifaceted representations of the feminine even when it seems absent on the surface. These conversations enrich our experience with the piece beyond its face value.