The Singer c. 1895

Curator: Here we have Édouard Vuillard's "The Singer," a pen and ink drawing on paper created around 1895. Editor: It feels… spontaneous. Like a glimpse of someone caught in the act, almost ephemeral. Curator: Vuillard was deeply involved in the Parisian art scene, connected to Symbolist theatre. This sketch could be related to the performance culture and the roles women held within that society. These were often bourgeois women testing the public limits of their gender. Editor: It’s interesting how much information he conveys with so little. Just these swirling lines, capturing the weight of a gown or the texture of coiled hair. The process is completely transparent; nothing is hidden by heavy layers of material. You can really see the labor. Curator: Indeed. Consider also that these were preparatory studies, perhaps not intended for public display in themselves. Vuillard came from a working-class family, with his mother operating a dressmaking business, which no doubt impacted how he perceived artistic work. These factors would play into who might access the drawing and where and how that occurred. Editor: Absolutely. And to me, this piece raises questions about value, artistic hierarchy and craft. Is a quick study less significant than a finished oil painting? Is this a drawing intended for the male gaze? It makes me wonder about the lives of performers. Were these considered laborers? How much were they compensated, and how was this work thought about in terms of artistic labor? Curator: Those are key questions to consider, particularly given the cultural dynamics of the time, and how these women's visibility on stage both challenged and reinforced existing norms around class, labour and feminine ideals. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way before. It adds another layer to what seems at first a simple sketch. Curator: Exactly. Seeing the art from those varying angles helps us understand not just the object, but the historical conditions in which it emerged. Editor: Agreed. Considering the art market forces alongside his process lets you see the art world with fresh eyes.