Two Women 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Louis Valtat's "Two Women," a drawing of indeterminate date, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by the women's obscured forms; they’re present, but not entirely there. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Well, Valtat lived through a time when traditional female roles were being challenged, yet societal expectations remained rigid. How might this sketch reflect the tension between visibility and erasure in women's lives during that period? Editor: That’s a good point. Their unfinished quality could represent the incomplete narratives often imposed on women. Curator: Precisely. It also prompts us to consider who gets to define these narratives. Whose gaze are we seeing this through? Editor: I see what you mean. There is a power dynamic embedded in the act of sketching itself. It is so interesting to think about. Curator: Indeed, art offers an avenue to unveil unseen power structures that shaped the lives of these women, and still resonate today.