Le Nègre Paul, Serviteur D’aignan Thomas Desfriches 

Editor: This captivating sculpture, titled *Le Nègre Paul, Serviteur D’aignan Thomas Desfriches*, crafted from marble by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, holds such a quiet strength. The detail is remarkable, but the social implications are making me uneasy. How do you interpret this work? Curator: From a materialist perspective, this sculpture throws into stark relief the commodification of people. Marble, a costly material often associated with permanence and status, is here used to depict a servant. We need to consider who commissioned it, for what purpose, and how that act further solidified power dynamics within the context of labor and servitude. Editor: That's insightful. So, the material itself reinforces the power dynamic. The servant, Paul, becomes an object. Curator: Precisely. The artist's skill in carving, transforming raw marble into a seemingly lifelike representation, is undeniably impressive. But, where did Pigalle source his marble? Who were the laborers quarrying and transporting it? This pursuit also involves material, exploitation and labour. This artistic “triumph” cannot be divorced from these crucial details. Editor: So, even the production of the artwork relies on various kinds of, maybe, underpaid or forced labour that’s invisible in the final sculpture. That’s pretty dark. Curator: Absolutely. Thinking critically about the material origins and the socio-economic structures is pivotal. Instead of simply admiring the sculpture's aesthetic, let's examine the role of both Pigalle, and the sculpture’s owner in perpetuating a system of inequality. How does a seemingly innocent object become implicated? Editor: I never considered the labour beyond the artist themselves, but you're right, the entire production is imbued with social and economic relationships. This has completely reshaped my understanding! Curator: Examining art through this lens unveils these complex webs of materials, labour, and consumption, inviting us to confront uncomfortable truths about the history embedded within these objects.