Coaching c. 19th century

Curator: This is "Coaching" by Constantin Guys. Look closely and you'll see it is rendered in pen and brown ink with brown wash over graphite. Editor: It feels like a fleeting dream, or a memory half-forgotten. The blurring of ink makes it seem like we're glimpsing a scene from the past through a hazy window. Curator: Guys worked as an illustrator for the Illustrated London News, and pieces like this allowed him to capture scenes of modern life with a unique flair. One can see the roots of the French Flâneur here. Editor: Absolutely. The way the horses surge forward, almost leaping off the page, infuses the whole scene with energy, but it’s also a statement about class and wealth. Curator: True, a testament to the spectacle of transportation and social display. You notice the trees in the background? It's as if the natural world itself is a spectator to this parade. Editor: The trees are almost skeletal. But despite the muted tones, there's something lively here. It reminds me that art can be found in the simple act of observation, the mundane elevated to the extraordinary.