Studies of Kneeling and Recumbent Figures, ?after Raphael. Verso: Sketch 

Curator: This is Thomas Stothard's "Studies of Kneeling and Recumbent Figures, after Raphael" which is held here at the Tate. Editor: It feels quite immediate, like a glimpse into the artist's mind at work, all captured in spare pen strokes on this relatively small support. Curator: Stothard, who lived from 1755 to 1834, clearly revered Raphael. This piece reflects the broader cultural moment that looked back to the Renaissance for artistic inspiration and legitimacy. Editor: I'm drawn to the materiality. The ink, the paper...these were accessible materials, allowing Stothard to rapidly iterate and explore form and composition. A very humble, almost utilitarian aesthetic. Curator: Absolutely. Stothard's studies provide insight into how artists appropriated and adapted historical styles to meet the aesthetic demands of their own era. Editor: The labor is evident in the sheer number of figures he sketched, the build up to something more finished. This gives us an intimate look at the artist's process, as an artisan. Curator: Indeed, it opens a window into art's evolving role within society, from its function as a means of production to an emblem of cultural refinement. Editor: I like how you bring those ideas to life through this unassuming drawing. Curator: It's important to remember art's place in history. Editor: And its making!