[title not known] Verso: Sketches of ?Diamond Jewellery 

Curator: This is a work by John Flaxman, from the Tate Collections. It's titled "Verso: Sketches of ?Diamond Jewellery," and it offers a glimpse into Flaxman's process. Editor: It feels fleeting. A quick sketch, ethereal figures emerging from the paper’s surface. The graphite almost disappears into the support itself. Curator: Flaxman was deeply engaged with classical antiquity and neoclassicism. His art often reflected the political and social upheavals of his time. Who were these figures meant to represent, what stories were they meant to tell? Editor: Perhaps a commission or an exploration of form. The paper itself, its quality and size, speaks to accessibility and practical use for designs. It's a fascinating material record. Curator: Indeed. Examining Flaxman through the lens of gender and class reveals how his work both reinforced and challenged societal norms. Editor: This work reminds us that sketches offer a unique intimacy. A view into the artist’s labor and material choices. Curator: Flaxman’s art invites us to reconsider the power dynamics inherent in representation and the enduring impact of historical narratives. Editor: It makes you consider the act of drawing. A single piece of paper as a site for artistic conception.