En fransk gade 1903

Curator: This is Albert Gottschalk's "En fransk gade," or "A French Street," created in 1903. It's a pencil drawing, quite a departure from traditional painting of the period. Editor: Yes, the medium stands out! I am also drawn to the everydayness of the street, depicted in a rather raw, almost unfinished way. What do you make of it? Curator: Precisely! What intrigues me is the intentionality behind Gottschalk’s choice to render a mundane urban scene with such a simple tool and style. Instead of elevating through grand scale or color, the focus shifts to the means of representation itself. The visible pencil strokes remind us of the artist's labor and the material process. How does the location add to your interpretation? Editor: Being "a French street", as opposed to specifying which one, suggests this could be any ordinary street. Was Gottschalk interested in highlighting the anonymity and labor of everyday life? Curator: A key consideration is the rising industrialization of urban spaces at the turn of the century. Pencil drawings became rapidly reproducible. It also reflects the democratization of art, by showcasing accessible materials. What does that imply for the art market? Editor: So, Gottschalk might be subverting the art market by focusing on the everyday and utilizing reproducible techniques? It shifts the value from the preciousness of the object to the act of seeing and recording. Curator: Exactly. He draws attention to the often-overlooked infrastructure and daily routines that form the foundation of modern society, a departure from romanticized landscapes and portraiture. This focus transforms our appreciation to the worker that keeps this industry in operation, both Gottschalk’s act of representing and what his work actually depicts. Any last thoughts? Editor: This changed my perspective! The choice of pencil makes sense when we consider his subject matter: daily work and social environments. Curator: Mine too! Considering the social context in art is such a privilege and makes this drawing far from ordinary.