Have you ever wondered about the subject of a painting? Why is the Mona Lisa smiling, or what accounts for the uncertain expression on the face of the Girl with a Pearl Earring?

Curator Elizabeth Botten was inspired to uncover the “names and stories” of models by a photograph in the Archives of American Art. The result of her exploration is new exhibit, Artists and Their Models from the Archives of American Art, which takes a look at the lives of the models through photographs, letters, and other ephemera.

The Office of Exhibits Central partnered with the Archives to design, edit, and print and install exhibition graphics. Designer Emily Sloat Shaw created a motif of intersecting lines to convey the relationships between artist, model, and viewer. Translucent window scrims of artists’ sketches highlight the result of the artist and model’s collaboration. Graphics specialist Jessica Schick produced exhibition graphics and led graphic installation.

Graphics specialist Jessica Schick installs the title graphic.

A view of the introductory panel, with the motif of intersecting lines.

Graphics specialists install a window scrim.

Graphics specialist Evan Keeling and curator Elizabeth Botten use a laser level during installation.

A view of the exhibit during installation.

A detail from the completed exhibition.

Artists and Their Models is on view in the Lawrence Fleischman Gallery at the Reynolds Center through August 27, 2014.