Portret van mijnheer Bertirand 1874

Editor: Here we have Joseph Schubert’s “Portrait of Mijnheer Bertrand,” created in 1874 using graphite and pencil. The tonal range achieved with such simple materials is impressive. What stands out to you when you consider this piece? Curator: Considering this work through a materialist lens directs our focus to the drawing process. What kind of labor was involved? What were the societal conventions of portraiture at the time and how did this drawing affirm or subvert them? The use of graphite and pencil, readily available materials, points to accessibility, but the skill displayed suggests a certain level of specialized training. How would the subject's social standing influenced both the creation of the work and it’s intended audience? Editor: So you’re suggesting that we look beyond just the image and consider the societal conditions in which it was made, and the possible impact the portrait may have had for all participants? The artist's labor, the sitter's status, the distribution methods? Curator: Precisely. Look closely at the quality of line. Consider how it depicts status through dress, posing the question, what "work" does it perform within a specific visual economy? Is this simply an attempt to accurately represent Mr. Bertrand, or is there something more at play in the materials chosen and the process employed? Editor: I hadn't thought about the choice of materials having an effect like that. Curator: Everything, from the grain of the paper to the subtle shading, is part of the larger system of production and meaning. Thinking this way asks us to consider class, labor, and value, right? Editor: Okay, that gives me a new way to view even seemingly straightforward pieces like this one. I will definitely think more about labor when I look at art from now on! Curator: Wonderful. Paying attention to those factors helps us to understand art's complex relationship to the world around it.