Two Sketches of Figures on a Beach 19th-20th century

Editor: This is "Two Sketches of Figures on a Beach" by Denman Waldo Ross at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a pencil sketch, and it looks like a study of figures preparing to run, but there are also geometric diagrams here. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Well, let’s consider the materiality. It's pencil on paper, a readily available, relatively inexpensive medium. The artist's labor is evident in the repeated lines, the exploratory nature of the sketches. Does this suggest to you a certain social status, perhaps, or intended audience? Editor: It does seem like a preliminary study. Maybe he was exploring form and movement before committing to a more formal piece? I'm interested in how the sketches relate to craft versus fine art. Curator: Precisely! It blurs those lines, doesn't it? The means of production are simple, the labor visible. This piece prompts us to consider the value we place on the finished object versus the artistic process itself. I wonder, does that change your initial impression? Editor: Definitely. Thinking about the process makes me appreciate the work and artistry in it, as well as the intersection of labour and value.