Untitled 

Curator: This charcoal drawing by Theodor Severin Kittelsen depicts an elderly man in profile. It's currently titled "Untitled," so its original intention remains a mystery. Editor: It strikes me as an intimate portrayal. There's a weariness etched into his posture, and a quiet dignity too. Curator: The material execution here is key, isn't it? The artist uses charcoal to render the man's coat in heavy, almost sculptural strokes, which contrasts with the softness of his beard and hair. One can almost feel the texture of the fabric and the weight it would have held. Editor: Absolutely. The sitter's garment isn't merely clothing, it speaks to class, labour and even societal role, but this figure is not caught up with external performance of social mores. What did labour look like for people in Kittelsen's circles, and what was its material culture? His drawing raises important questions about how labor and leisure were expressed at that moment in the world. Curator: And that's where context is so essential. If this were a preparatory sketch for a painting or illustration, would our approach change? Considering the cost of artistic materials – the charcoal, paper, even the access to a sitter – offers insight into the art-making process of the time and the status of artists. Editor: Indeed, access itself becomes a subject. We need to explore the dynamics of the relationship between artist and sitter. Who was this man, and what power dynamics were at play in the act of portraying him? What implications can be made in viewing the "untitled" status of the drawing in the artist's wider work? Curator: By observing the choices made by Kittelsen, we uncover not just skill, but decisions about representation. Decisions related to what—or rather, whom—to portray, and how, both elevate and potentially obscure meaning. Editor: Which ultimately points towards its fascinating power—it leaves us lingering with complex considerations around history, production, and representation.