Study for ‘The Blind Girl’. Verso: Study for ‘Peace Concluded’ c. 1854 - 1855

Editor: This is Sir John Everett Millais' sketch, "Study for ‘The Blind Girl’." It's a pencil drawing, quite delicate. I wonder about Millais' process. What do you see in this piece in terms of its making? Curator: As a study, its materiality reveals a crucial stage in Millais' production. Note the repetitive lines; they show him grappling with form, particularly the fall of the fabric. Where did he source his materials? What was the paper-making process at the time? These elements directly inform the final painting's reception. Editor: That's a really interesting point; I hadn't considered the paper itself. Curator: Understanding the means of production contextualizes the work within broader economic and social structures. I wonder, how does the sketch's accessibility compare to the final painting's exclusivity? Editor: Thanks, that makes me appreciate sketches more as revealing the labor behind a finished piece.