The Real Thing

“‘We come from Mr. Rivet,’ the lady said at last, with a dim smile which had the effect of a moist sponge passed over a ‘sunk’ piece of painting, as well as of a vague allusion to vanished beauty.”

The Monarchs attempt to keep up appearances, but it’s clear they are falling in social rank and value. The aging of the Monarchs and their subsequent decline in status is framed through this description of Mrs. Monarch’s diminished beauty. Through the Monarch’s social decline, James explores the theme of Social Hierarchy in Late 19th-Century England.

“My ‘illustrations’ were my pot-boilers; I looked to a different branch of art (far and away it had always seemed to me), to perpetuate my fame.”

The artist is aware that his craft lies not in trying to perfectly duplicate a model but rather to alter the model to fit his own vision. The artist makes his “fortune” through commercial illustrations that serve a general readership. Although he desires the “fame” associated with more sophisticated work, the bulk of his creative efforts simply pay the bills. The artist’s internal conflict develops the theme of Aesthetics Versus Ethics.

“I was disappointed, for in the practical sense, I had immediately seen them. I had seized their type and I had already settled what I would do with them. Something that wouldn’t absolutely have pleased them, I afterwards reflected.”

The artist’s struggle between depicting an ideal and being true to reality develops the theme of Perception and Authenticity in Artistry. He has an idea of how the Monarchs fit into his work process, but his artistry conflicts with the Monarchs’ own sense of identity. After a superficial assessment, the artist determines that the Monarchs would be better suited for advertising than artistic modeling.