The Mirror - Serena and Flirtilla c. 18th century

Curator: John Raphael Smith created "The Mirror - Serena and Flirtilla," now housed in the Harvard Art Museums. It presents two women in elaborate dresses, one absorbed in a book while the other primps before a mirror. Editor: My eye is immediately drawn to the fabric—the sheer amount of material in those dresses! You can almost feel the weight and the texture of the lace. Curator: The print offers insight into the era’s social values, doesn't it? The mirror, a symbol of vanity, versus the book, representing intellect. Smith highlights the tension between societal expectations of women. Editor: Absolutely, but let’s not forget the production. Think of the labor involved in creating those textiles, the craftsmanship of the mirror, the printmaking process itself. Consumption and display of wealth are front and center here. Curator: Yes, and consider the cultural context. Prints like these circulated widely, shaping perceptions of beauty, class, and social roles. They were a form of visual propaganda, in a way. Editor: A potent reminder that art isn't just about aesthetics; it's about the physical reality of its making and the social forces at play. Curator: Indeed, a complex interplay of representation and material culture.