Louise Nathurst Sewing 19th-20th century

Curator: This is "Louise Nathurst Sewing" by Denman Waldo Ross, a pencil drawing on paper that's a little over 11 inches tall. Editor: There's such a quiet intimacy to this piece, a private moment captured in a flurry of lines. Curator: Sewing has long been a symbol of domesticity, of the feminine sphere, but it's also about creation, mending, making something new. Editor: Absolutely, and the quick, almost frantic lines suggest that very tension—the restraint of domesticity versus the active creation of the self. The lack of strong definition around the face adds to this sense of ambiguity. Curator: It's as if Ross is suggesting the subject's identity is fluid, in process, much like the act of sewing itself. Editor: It’s a beautiful demonstration of how the artist lets form and content inform each other so effectively. Curator: Indeed, a simple sketch, yet it holds layers of meaning. Editor: A fleeting moment, exquisitely rendered.