Head and Shoulders of a Woman. Verso: Seated Nude Female Figure 

Editor: This is Thomas Stothard's "Head and Shoulders of a Woman," a tiny sketch from around the late 18th or early 19th century held at the Tate. I’m struck by the figure's enigmatic expression, and the delicate lines. What do you make of its intimacy? Curator: It’s as if we've stumbled upon a private moment, a secret glimpse. Stothard was an illustrator, and that illustrative impulse, that narrative seed, is always there, isn't it? I wonder what story she holds within. Does she look knowing, or burdened by insight? Editor: Knowing, I think. Perhaps a little world-weary? Curator: Exactly! Maybe the 'world' is actually one small corner of her own soul. These kinds of sketches are so fascinating because they're like little windows into an artist’s mind. Editor: It’s amazing to think about her stories still echoing after all this time. Thanks for sharing your perspective! Curator: My pleasure; it's been enlightening!