Arrenslee 1787 - 1808

Editor: So, here we have "Arrenslee" a pencil and ink drawing on paper, created sometime between 1787 and 1808 by Jan Brandes. It looks like a sketch of a sleigh. It's a fairly simple composition but, what can you tell us about this drawing? Curator: Looking at Brandes' "Arrenslee" I see a clear intersection of material and cultural practice. Pencil on paper – seemingly simple. But let's consider the paper itself, its production and availability at this time. Who had access to it? The work offers a view on class and luxury, doesn't it? This isn't just about the *image* of a sleigh, but the social implications of the materials *used* to depict it. Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that. It’s easy to overlook the material itself and its social context. Does the linear style speak to any particular influence or manufacturing process from that period? Curator: Precisely! The controlled line work – think about the labor involved. The artist's hand meticulously rendering this object. Were sleighs common? What social function did it perform, what class did they serve? Was Brandes intending to use this study for a painting perhaps? Editor: So the drawing isn't just about the object, but about the system of labor and access surrounding both its representation *and* its potential use. Fascinating. Curator: Exactly. Considering this drawing as part of a broader network of material production and social hierarchy truly changes how we see it. Editor: I’ll never look at a drawing the same way again. Thanks!