She hurried over, and seeing her lover, she let out a great moan c. 18th century

Curator: I find this small etching by Remi Henri Joseph Delvaux, titled "She hurried over, and seeing her lover, she let out a great moan," so curious. It's filled with such frantic energy. Editor: My first thought? Melodrama! All the figures seem to be caught in a moment of intense, perhaps even operatic, emotion. Is it a rescue scene, maybe? Curator: It does evoke a certain theatricality. Etchings like these often served as illustrations, circulating stories and morals within a broader public sphere. Editor: The swooning figure seems almost weightless, despite the chaos around her. Is she divine, or just overwhelmed? It's so easy to project one's feelings onto such open-ended imagery, isn't it? Curator: Absolutely. Delvaux leaves much to our imagination. I appreciate how the etching's dimensions force us to consider grand narratives in a very intimate scale. Editor: It’s a reminder of how stories, even in miniature, can stir up such grandiose feelings.