Khassonke Girl 1889

Editor: This is Édouard Riou's "Khassonke Girl," made in 1889 using pen and pencil. The girl's clothes appear very detailed, with intricate patterns. How do we read these patterns in terms of their materiality and cultural significance? Curator: That’s a keen observation. Focusing on materiality, consider how the artist meticulously renders the texture of the fabric. The way Riou uses cross-hatching to depict the shawl, skirt, and dress speaks volumes. Look at how this technique creates depth, implying weight and texture. Given the time, think about where these fabrics originated, their role in trade networks, and how the process of cloth production influenced the sitter's economic standing. Editor: So, you are suggesting the textile details could indicate trade routes, labour conditions, or socio-economic class? Curator: Precisely! We need to ask how these fabrics reflect both the material conditions of her life and Riou's own colonial gaze. He's depicting, perhaps appropriating, an element of her culture. What might this mean considering the politics of representation and power dynamics involved in its creation? What does this tell us about consumption of textiles from other parts of the world during this period? Editor: It is a difficult balancing act, seeing artistic value in this image while being sensitive to the issues of power it suggests. Curator: Exactly, a materialist reading urges us to deconstruct such imbalances. The image itself becomes a document, showcasing both skill and the complicated realities of production and consumption in a global context. Editor: Thanks. Looking through this material lens gives me a much deeper and meaningful connection to the portrait and the person it represents.