Theodosia Burr Alston 1794

Art Historian: Let's start with labor in this period to produce high-status works, and not get too stuck on "genius"! Editor: This is Gilbert Stuart's 1794 portrait of Theodosia Burr Alston, and it’s oil on canvas. The lighting is what really strikes me, it creates such a soft, almost melancholic atmosphere. What stands out to you in this piece? Art Historian: The material conditions of its making. Look closely; can you see the weave of the canvas through the paint layers? Editor: Yes, now that you mention it, I do. Art Historian: The artist, his patrons, and the subject all participate in specific social and economic arrangements, but what interests me are things like: where did the canvas come from, how was the pigment ground, and who prepared it? What kind of labor went into its creation beyond Gilbert Stuarts? It tells us so much more about production than “art”. Editor: I hadn’t considered that angle before. So, you’re less interested in Theodosia Burr as an individual and more in the context that allowed this portrait to be made? Art Historian: Exactly. This wasn't just Stuart's expression; it represents a complex network of production. It is neoclassical. Neoclassical art reflected a desire for order and structure that materialized via industry; what the elites used for decoration came from exploited lands. I see consumerism represented in pigment, frame and display, as well as material representations of the Alston's social position. What I think is amazing is that they bought into this so profoundly. It tells us something real about class. Editor: I see what you mean! Considering the painting’s materiality and the labor involved really opens up a new perspective on the piece. It's fascinating to think about the painting not just as art, but also as a product of its time. Art Historian: Exactly. And, we see that the surface is actually loaded with a depth of history beyond aesthetic expression.