Scene in a Wood, with Figures 

Editor: This is Joseph Farington's "Scene in a Wood, with Figures," and it's a quick, brown ink sketch. It feels almost frantic. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the materiality. The rapid, almost nervous lines suggest a certain economy, a quickness of production. Was this a study? A commodity for sale? What does the use of ink, a readily available material, suggest about Farington's intended audience and the value he placed on this work? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't thought about it as a commodity before, more as a personal study. Thanks! Curator: Precisely! Exploring the work as a made object helps us understand its potential role in the 18th-century art market.