Two Donkeys c. 19th century

Curator: Welcome. We're standing before Joseph Fussell's piece, "Two Donkeys," held within the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: They appear exhausted, utterly still. The cross-hatching gives their coats a palpable texture, almost coarse. Curator: Indeed. Note how Fussell uses line weight to define form. The lean-to in the background, the fence, all rendered with deliberate variations in pressure. Editor: The roughness seems intentional. Consider the socio-economic context; donkeys were tools, beasts of burden. The crude drawing embodies that reality. Curator: I see that, but the composition—the careful arrangement of the two animals—creates an interesting visual rhythm. Editor: Yes, and it speaks to the back-breaking labor imposed upon these animals, the relentless production of goods. Curator: Perhaps. I'm struck by the formal restraint, the efficient use of line to evoke a sense of place. Editor: And I see not just animals, but the exploitation of animal labor etched in ink on paper. Curator: A fascinating point, providing another layer to Fussell’s rendering. Editor: Exactly. Now I see more.