I'll Think of Thee Love! 1841

Editor: So, this is “I'll Think of Thee Love!” a lithograph from 1841 by John Henry Bufford. It's incredibly delicate. The scene looks like something straight out of a romantic novel – a woman gazing longingly from a balcony. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes. Bufford captures that bittersweet pang of longing so well, doesn't he? The soft lithographic lines contribute to that tender mood. This wasn't just art, but sheet music! Printed up, with dedication, probably for Miss Martha P. Vinton, so someone could play this melody on their pianoforte and sing those heartfelt lyrics, you can almost hear the echo in the castle, feel the mist hanging in the air, don't you think? Editor: Sheet music! I hadn't even noticed the music notes at the bottom... Wait, is that a lyre being cradled by a sphinx at the bottom of the balcony? Curator: Wonderful catch. Now what do YOU suppose *that's* about? The sphinx whispers riddles; perhaps love itself is a riddle for Miss Martha! Editor: I guess I was so caught up in the woman's expression, I missed those details. I wonder if she ever found her answer… or her love? Curator: Well, these glimpses into private worlds frozen in time always bring a reflective joy. It also suggests that music and art were often interwoven. That makes me think differently about popular media, doesn't it you? Editor: It really does. Now I feel like listening to 1840's ballads...and maybe learning the piano.