Composition with Five Figures in Natural Setting, Two Male, Three Female, with a Lyre (Ponnassus?) (from Sketchbook) 1810 - 1820

Editor: This is Thomas Sully's "Composition with Five Figures in Natural Setting, Two Male, Three Female, with a Lyre (Ponnassus?)" created between 1810 and 1820. It's an ink on paper drawing. I'm really struck by the unfinished quality of the piece and how immediate that makes the scene feel. What do you see in this piece that speaks to you? Curator: As a materialist, I see the piece as reflecting Sully's exploration of artistic production itself. This ink sketch on paper isn't a finished product, it's a document of process. Notice how the penstrokes, the material residue of his labor, create a sense of movement and light, even without color or shading. Consider the value then attributed to these kind of informal works versus completed oils within the artistic economy of the time. Do you see the influence of Neoclassicism? Editor: Yes, the figures’ poses and drapery seem very Neoclassical. Is this emphasis on the artist's hand also a break from earlier Neoclassical ideals where the artist was trying to become almost invisible? Curator: Exactly! The visible labor inherent in the medium is, indeed, a shift. Also, notice the use of readily available materials: ink and paper. This contrasts with the idealized subjects. He seems less concerned with recreating some kind of idealized reality than he does with showing the hand of the artist *making* it. Think about access to materials – who had it, who didn't, and how this affected their artmaking and livelihoods. Editor: That makes so much sense! It's interesting how Sully uses such humble materials to depict what seems like an elevated, almost mythical scene. It really blurs the line between the artist's craft and "high art." Curator: Precisely. And questioning those kinds of artistic divisions allows for different meanings, especially through labor. Editor: This has really changed my perspective on Sully's drawing. Now I am also noticing those gaps and silences of what *isn’t* depicted that is part of the creation. Thank you!