The Seven Deadly Sins, Sloth 

Curator: Immediately, I see a space of luxuriant repose and avoidance. This is Erte's *The Seven Deadly Sins, Sloth*. There's such deliberate indolence emanating from the piece; it practically seeps into the room. Editor: Agreed! It’s an interesting, illustrative example of how sloth has been represented throughout art history. This mixed-media artwork strikes me as a comment on performative lassitude, particularly as it might relate to women. Curator: Performative lassitude, yes, that nails it. Observe the languid pose of the figure, the open book almost slipping off her lap, a little cat playing with a mouse next to her. All surrounded by pillows and art supplies in various states of undress. It whispers, "I could create, I *might* create, but alas… such is the burden of genius." Editor: Absolutely. Consider also the broader art historical context. Depictions of "sloth," especially featuring women, are so often laden with judgement, framing inactivity as a moral failing. But Erte seems to be queering the narrative somehow. The abundance of tools could point to commentary about capitalism that creates so-called “opportunities." The whole composition asks, "is leisure necessarily unproductive, or is it a form of resistance?" Curator: It is incredibly resistant! I see echoes of Schlafroch und Pantoffeln, dressing-gown and slippers, from German Biedermeier. The trappings of being gemütlich and sheltered. Here, decadence is armor. Erte seems to revel in the exquisite and the theatrical, as if to challenge the very notion of 'sin'. The viewer becomes a voyeur, privy to this private domain of beautiful surrender. Editor: Precisely! This modern lens, paired with those signature Art Deco flourishes and the hints of eroticism, transforms the meaning. She's not simply "lazy," but deliberately withdrawing from systems and expectations—declining to participate, using soft power. And that use of decalcomania in the background to further convey density! She almost melts back into that background. Curator: Which brings us to our own moments of repose. After this invigorating encounter with "Sloth," perhaps we are more inclined to cherish our down time without a jot of guilt? Editor: Perhaps indeed, reclaiming "sloth" as a space of agency. I will remember to give myself space to reclaim the exquisite art of gorgeous withdrawal today.