Portrait of a Young Woman 1892

Editor: This is Georges Lacombe's "Portrait of a Young Woman" from 1892, currently held at The Met. It’s a pencil drawing, a quick sketch almost. The woman's expression feels both serene and a little melancholic. What strikes you most when you look at it? Curator: It is indeed a tender work. Consider the recurring motif of the closed mouth, found also in ancient Greek sculptures representing goddesses of modesty. Her lips are sealed, hinting at hidden thoughts or emotions. Lacombe might be subtly hinting at societal constraints placed upon women of the time, where silence was often expected. Editor: So you see the closed mouth as symbolic of female repression? Curator: Not necessarily repression, but rather, controlled expression. Notice the upward gaze; a hopeful, almost visionary, quality. This juxtaposes beautifully with the restraint suggested by the mouth. What feelings do you experience looking at the portrait? Editor: I guess I had missed the upward gaze being hopeful. For me the upward look created some tension. What visual techniques point to control versus openness, in your opinion? Curator: Look at the looseness of the hair surrounding the face contrasted with the defined lines of her neck and shoulders. The soft, yielding quality battles the crisp structure and imposed outline of shoulders and torso. Also, how do you interpret the artist’s quick strokes in an otherwise seemingly detailed drawing? Editor: That the sketch style is not the final work, perhaps? Implying, too, that an identity is still evolving, still being ‘sketched’ out… Thanks for revealing those layers! I see how the open versus restricted elements combine to invite multiple meanings. Curator: Precisely! Consider too, that each symbol, each mark contributes to the cumulative experience, enriching the iconographic narrative we perceive today. Art helps to create lasting cultural memories.