Seated Figure Seen From Below; Two Studies of Heads c. 18th century

Editor: This sketch, "Seated Figure Seen From Below; Two Studies of Heads," is by an anonymous artist and currently resides at the Harvard Art Museums. It's rendered in a sepia wash. What strikes me is the sense of dynamism in the seated figure. How do you interpret it? Curator: I see the artist grappling with the material constraints of representation. Notice the quick, repetitive strokes – a means of production prioritizing efficiency. It speaks to the economics of art creation. The paper itself is a commodity, informing the sketch's very existence. Editor: That's a different way to see it. I was focused on the angelic figure itself! Curator: But isn't the figure also a product, both of the artist's labor and a market demanding such imagery? Thinking about those two heads, were those for sale too, just byproducts of production? Editor: I never thought about sketches as commodities. Curator: Exactly. The materials and means of production are never neutral.