His Granddaughters Discover He Knows the Words of the Star Spangled Banner c. 1920s

Editor: Charles Dana Gibson's ink drawing, "His Granddaughters Discover He Knows the Words of the Star Spangled Banner" from around the 1920s, is so vibrant despite being monochrome. I'm immediately struck by how it captures a moment of surprise and, well, performance! What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: The piece speaks volumes about the cultural construction of class and gender through labor. Look at the careful depiction of the butler's posture versus the dynamic pose of the flapper. What labor went into producing these distinct social roles and the commodities associated with them: clothes, the piano, the song book? Editor: So, you're seeing the drawing as a commentary on social strata and how they're manufactured? The materials - ink and paper - almost seem secondary. Curator: Not secondary, intrinsic. Ink was becoming increasingly industrialized and available, feeding into a burgeoning print culture and, thus, widespread dissemination of these ideals. How did these images contribute to the consumption of aspiration? Notice the artist's labor. Is it 'high art' or commercial illustration? Where do we draw that line, and why? Editor: It's fascinating to think about how something as simple as an ink drawing could be so deeply intertwined with the social and economic currents of its time. It challenges the way I initially perceived the artwork as just a lighthearted snapshot. Curator: Exactly. By understanding the materials and processes involved, we uncover the layers of social meaning embedded within even seemingly simple artworks. Editor: That really changed my perspective; I’m starting to consider all those previously invisible levels and material conditions.