A Mother Teaching her Daughter to Read 1753 - 1807

Editor: Wolfgang Koepp’s "A Mother Teaching her Daughter to Read," made between 1753 and 1807, is a charcoal drawing. It’s quite striking, the light and shadow creating an intimate scene. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Considering this charcoal drawing, I immediately look to its materiality. The paper itself, its source, and its relative cost are central to understanding this work. Similarly, we have to think of charcoal not simply as a drawing medium, but as a product of burning, a transformation of organic matter. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn’t considered the cost of materials at the time. So, what does that signify here? Curator: Access to these materials wasn’t universal. Who would have had the means, the resources, to both afford the materials *and* the time for such a drawing? Also, consider the labor embedded within: from the production of charcoal to the making of paper and the social context of both the artist’s, and the patron's access to these items. What is the social standing of these people and what did their world of production look like? Editor: So, the act of creating this drawing, the time invested, and the resources used, all point to a specific social class? Curator: Exactly! It elevates the simple act of teaching and reading to something of higher cultural value tied to bourgeoning class structures and academic circles. Now look at how the materiality impacts the overall feeling in the portrait itself... does the soft appearance of charcoal give it an intimate effect? Editor: Absolutely. Knowing about the social and economic context makes me view the drawing in an entirely different way! Thank you! Curator: And for me, reflecting on the drawing as a tangible expression of artistic labor further solidifies the narrative beyond just a simple surface-level observation.