Staande vrouw met gekruiste armen op de borst 1889 - 1894

Editor: This is "Standing Woman with Crossed Arms on her Chest" by Antoon Derkinderen, made sometime between 1889 and 1894, created using pencil on paper. The quick sketch lines give a sense of the artist capturing a fleeting moment. What do you see in this drawing? Curator: I see an investigation of labor and its representation. Note the way the rapid, economical lines convey the sitter's form, almost like a factory assembly line turning out images. Derkinderen seems to be asking us to consider the act of *making* art itself, not just the finished product. What kind of paper was available and affordable? How does the price of the drawing materials impact the way art is created and for whom it is made? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered the materiality of the drawing in that light, how Derkinderen’s choices may have been impacted by what he could afford. Curator: Precisely! The ‘sketchbook drawing’ label is valuable. Who could access these sketchbooks? What were they typically used for? Do you notice how the figure's crossed arms might imply a degree of resistance? Could that stance reflect the subject's labor conditions or social position? Editor: I see it now! It does seem like the subject is standing strong, almost defiant in her pose. Is it right to assume there's always a cultural message behind materials like paper and pencils? Curator: Not always overt, but the materials and the making are inextricably linked to the socio-economic context in which the art emerges. Understanding the availability and means of producing those materials unlocks layers of meaning. How easily could ordinary citizens access them? How might our understanding shift if this were rendered on a pristine canvas with expensive oils? Editor: That puts the work in a totally new light for me. Thanks, I will certainly pay closer attention to artmaking processes. Curator: A new perspective perhaps is to simply look at art from a manufacturing aspect. Viewing process over symbol changes how art informs society.