12. John Richards RA. Secretary of the Royal Academy 1795

Editor: This is George Dance's sketch of John Richards from 1795, a quick capturing of the Royal Academy's secretary. It's minimal, almost dashed off, but there's detail in the hat. What strikes you about the materials and process here? Curator: Look at the swift, economical lines. Dance isn't just depicting Richards; he's demonstrating the *act* of drawing. The paper itself, the cheapness of the ink, the speed of execution—it speaks to a certain level of artistic labor, of production geared towards institutional records, not necessarily high art. What labor is being done here, and for whom? Editor: So, not just a portrait, but a statement about the Academy's operations? I hadn't considered the implied social context in the materials themselves. Curator: Precisely. The artwork becomes less about Richards and more about the system that necessitates its creation, and how that system shapes artistic choices. Editor: It makes you think about all the unseen labor that goes into even the simplest sketch!