Sketch for ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’ 1828

Curator: Sketch for ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’ by John Varley is rendered with what looks like brown ink on paper, and it’s a study of a head in profile. It reminds me of old master drawings, but with a unique take. How do you see it? Editor: It feels quite immediate, even though it's clearly from another era. What strikes me is the directness of the lines, almost like Varley is thinking aloud on paper. I wonder about the availability and cost of paper and ink during the period. Curator: Exactly. The sketch wasn't necessarily "art" in the way we think of it now, but part of a process, maybe even scientific. The materials themselves—the paper, the ink—were commodities, laboriously made, and indicative of the social context. What can we learn about labour and how the materials were sourced and used? Editor: That's a really interesting point. So, considering the cost and process of crafting the materials, it reframes how we view the sketch itself. It becomes a record of resourcefulness. Thank you! Curator: It also makes us consider the value we assign to preliminary works versus "finished" art. Always consider what went into making something and how materials impact our reading of a work.