Little girls playing ladies (preparatory sketch) 1872

Editor: So, here we have Silvestro Lega’s "Little Girls Playing Ladies (preparatory sketch)" from 1872. It feels very domestic, almost like a snapshot of a private moment. I’m struck by the texture of the paint, how roughly it’s applied. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: The visible brushstrokes and unfinished quality immediately point us to the process of its making. Consider the social context: Lega, as part of the Macchiaioli group, was challenging academic painting. They were after a truthful rendering of reality, often focusing on the lives of ordinary people. How might the material qualities—the rough application of paint, the sketch-like nature—contribute to this aim? Editor: I suppose it feels more authentic, less staged. Like you’re seeing the everyday labor, even, in making the painting itself. Curator: Exactly. And what about the subject matter itself? Think about the little girls 'playing ladies'. What kind of social structures are being subtly reinforced, or perhaps even questioned, through this depiction of imitation and performance? The 'sketch' becomes an analysis. Editor: It makes me wonder about the roles available to women at the time. Is the artist highlighting or critiquing them? Perhaps a little of both? Curator: Indeed! Now, consider the implied consumption represented. These dresses weren’t readily available to everyone, were they? Consider how these materials themselves become symbols. The very act of sketching, of using cheaper materials for preparatory work, allows a peek behind the polished veneer of bourgeois life, highlighting class differences and gendered expectations. Editor: That's a great point. I was so focused on the composition that I missed the material and social commentary embedded within the sketch itself. Curator: These seemingly casual depictions are often powerful statements when we look closer at their means of production. I'm glad we brought that up! Editor: Absolutely! I’ll definitely be more aware of materials in other paintings moving forward.