Czóbel Béla, Mme Ferenczy. Pastel. Musée Des Beaux Arts 

Editor: This is "Mme Ferenczy," a pastel drawing by Czóbel Béla. The swirling charcoal almost obscures the subject; it feels incredibly raw and immediate. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Observe the active marks, the intense focus on the materiality of the pastel itself. It isn’t about simply representing a person. Instead, consider how the act of applying pastel, the labor involved, builds the image and reveals something about artistic production at the time. Think about the accessibility of the materials; pastels weren't high art materials necessarily. Who was consuming this kind of work, and what social forces were at play in its creation and reception? Editor: So you're saying it's less about who Mme. Ferenczy *was* and more about Czóbel's process, the *how* of making? I hadn't really thought about it like that. Curator: Precisely. Look at how the swirling strokes almost dissolve the figure. Is this about high society portraiture, or is Czóbel challenging those established norms by focusing on the raw material and the physical act? Editor: That’s a great point. Focusing on the material brings a completely new understanding to this. I’d previously thought of it only as an expressive portrait, but you’ve reframed it by pointing to the artist's engagement with materiality. Thanks! Curator: The pleasure is mine. By examining these aspects of the art-making process, we're able to see past the simple surface representation.