Leopard Bending Down to Drink 

Editor: Here we have John Macallan Swan’s sketch, "Leopard Bending Down to Drink." The quick lines give a sense of immediacy. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the material limitations Swan faced; the cost of canvas, paint, and the labor involved in creating larger works. This drawing highlights the relationship between economy and artistic practice. How does the accessibility of sketch materials influence the depiction of the animal? Editor: So, the sketch medium is more about access to materials than about artistic choice? Curator: Not only choice, but think about how Victorian society commodified exotic animals and the resources needed to make them available for observation, and in turn, for art. Does that change how you view Swan's work? Editor: It's interesting to think of artistic creation as tied to those larger economic systems. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's crucial to analyze art within its material and social context.