Sweet dreams 

Editor: This is "Sweet Dreams," an oil painting by John William Godward. The woman's dress and the marble bench have a very tactile quality, I can almost feel the texture. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: For me, the core of this painting lies in the materials themselves, both depicted and used. Consider the cool, hard marble contrasted with the soft, draped fabric. This interplay mirrors the social stratifications of the time, a display of wealth and leisure juxtaposed with the labour required to procure and shape these very objects. Editor: So you're saying it's not just about beauty, but about the labor behind the image? Curator: Precisely! Look at the woman's garments. They aren't just pretty; they are constructed. Someone spun the yarn, wove the fabric, dyed it, and sewed it together. It speaks to the whole system of production and consumption prevalent in the late 19th century. Even the animal pelt suggests the processes of hunting, skinning, and tanning. Do you think Godward considered this relationship? Editor: It’s something I hadn't really thought about. I guess I assumed that Academic art just celebrated beauty. But now I see it highlights the processes, labor, and access associated with such seemingly simple things. Curator: It makes us question the myth of idealized beauty and recognize the socioeconomic forces at play. These aren't just pretty pictures; they are documents reflecting material conditions. Editor: I'll definitely view works of art differently now. I never considered the materials as a language, not only as aesthetics, but as historical objects connected with power and society. Curator: Exactly!