Accommodation 1870 - 1891

Charles Samuel Keene created "Accommodation," a pen and brown ink drawing, which is held at the Art Institute of Chicago. The drawing presents a scene of men conversing on a city street, rendered with brisk, confident strokes. The composition is structured around two central figures: the gentleman on the right, distinguished by his stout build and dark attire, becomes a focal point through the contrast of his solid form against the linear rendering of his companion. Keene's use of hatching and cross-hatching not only defines form but also suggests texture and depth, particularly in the rendering of the heavy coats and top hats. The architectural backdrop, sketched with vertical lines, offers a sense of space without distracting from the human interaction at the forefront. The semiotic weight of clothing and bearing, coded with markers of class and status, hints at the power dynamics at play, inviting us to consider the social narratives embedded within this seemingly simple street scene.