Elefant 1731 - 1802

Editor: This is "Elefant", a drawing using charcoal and colored pencil, made sometime between 1731 and 1802 by Johannes Wiedewelt. It gives the impression of an unfinished, yet delicate piece. What stands out to you? Curator: Well, let's consider the materials first. Charcoal and colored pencil – seemingly simple, easily sourced materials. Yet, the time and skill invested in transforming these materials into this image speaks volumes about labor and artistic production in Wiedewelt’s era. Editor: So, it’s less about the subject, and more about how it was made? Curator: Exactly! Think about where these materials came from, and who had access to them. Charcoal was readily available, but colored pencils – perhaps imported, depending on the location. The artist’s choice reflects a certain access and resourcefulness, wouldn’t you agree? What implications can you see this having within the subject matter? Editor: Hmm, it's history painting so I assume these resources and this technique might have also been accessible for works about nobility. Curator: Precisely! Now, look closely at the subject matter itself – what kind of commentary does the production and depiction reflect? Is it celebratory, or critical? Editor: I hadn’t considered the social aspect so closely. The access to materials, like the colored pencils, and the way they're used connects it all together. Curator: Right, by examining the artwork’s production, materiality and labor, it prompts us to reconsider its role within history, and the broader societal structures of Wiedewelt's time. Editor: Thank you. This makes me think about art in a new way!