Woman brushing another’s hair no date

Curator: At first glance, this evokes a sense of everyday intimacy, almost mundane in its quietude. Editor: Indeed. This is William Roberts' "Woman brushing another’s hair," currently held in the Tate collections. Roberts, born in 1895, was deeply engaged with representing working-class life. Curator: I'm struck by the muted palette and the visible grid beneath the sketch—a framework quite literally underpinning the image. It speaks to the process, the labor involved in both the depicted scene and its creation. Editor: Absolutely. The figures are rendered with a certain angularity, aren’t they? The composition feels deliberate, a balance between the functional and the intimate. Curator: I see a commentary on domestic labor, the unseen work of maintaining appearances within a community. The rawness of the medium and the somewhat awkward poses only highlight the realness of the relationship. Editor: Perhaps. Ultimately, the sketch offers us a glimpse into a moment of connection, framed by both artistic construction and the realities of everyday life.