Head of an Old Woman 

Editor: This is Andrew Geddes' "Head of an Old Woman," a small etching held at the Tate. The woman's face is so worn, almost severe. I’m curious, what do you see in this piece? Curator: I see Geddes engaging with the artistic conventions of his time. The etching process allowed for relatively inexpensive reproduction, making images like this accessible to a broader public. Do you think this influenced Geddes' choice of subject? Editor: Possibly. Was he trying to elevate a common person through art? Curator: Precisely. Portraiture was typically reserved for the elite, but here, Geddes offers a detailed, intimate portrayal of an ordinary woman. It challenges the established hierarchies within art and society. I wonder what the old woman thought of her image being so widely available? Editor: That's an interesting question. I hadn't considered the social implications of printmaking and portraiture. Curator: Exactly, it opens up a whole new way of understanding this image.