The Charwoman c. 1906

Editor: So, this is "The Charwoman," an etching by Augustus John from around 1906. The texture created by the etching process really gives the piece a raw, almost hurried feel. What stands out to you about it? Curator: The hurried feel comes not just from the etching technique itself, but from its social function. Etchings, unlike unique paintings, allowed for multiples. John isn’t creating a precious object for an elite collector; he’s producing a readily available image of working-class life for a wider, potentially even a working-class, audience. It challenges the art market’s values by broadening the base. Do you think the image represents John's beliefs? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn’t considered the democratization aspect of printmaking. It is indeed affordable. I’d argue it might display sympathy and appreciation. The figure fills the frame and she seems important. How does this compare to how the working class would be displayed by his contemporaries? Curator: I think that many of his peers glamorized this existence or simply overlooked their working practices in favor of landscape, and in many instances were simply non-existent in the artistic landscape, as laborers. John does something in between: by emphasizing her labour, she may appear ‘caught’ in process, John allows the sitter's agency to stand present. The materiality of the print – its existence as a multiple – reflects and reinforces this theme of accessibility and perhaps celebrates a shift towards value that prioritizes community and fair depictions. What do you think it signals now to current markets? Editor: This discussion reframed the way I viewed the image. To recognize both the subject and means of making as being just as important. It definitely questions labor rights, values, and depictions for us even now! Curator: Indeed! And the very accessibility of this art form makes those questions even more pertinent today.