Violin Bow 1813

Editor: This is a graphite drawing of a violin bow, made in 1813 by John "Kew" Dodd. It’s quite a detailed depiction. I'm struck by the contrast between the solid, dark wood and the delicate, almost translucent bow hair. What draws your attention to this piece? Curator: Well, let's consider the means of production. This isn’t just a drawing of a violin bow; it’s a representation of a crafted object. Dodd was renowned, so how does this drawing intersect with the bow-making tradition itself? What social class is consuming this music, what is its affect, and how much do you need to earn to make a violin versus the coal industry? Editor: So you’re thinking about who made it and for whom, rather than just its aesthetic qualities? Curator: Precisely. Consider the material conditions that made this drawing possible. Where did the graphite come from? Who mined it, and under what circumstances? Even a seemingly simple image can reveal complex systems of labor and resource extraction. Editor: That makes me think about how the materials to make the actual bow were gathered, the labor involved, the commerce of instrument making. Curator: Exactly. And even the artistic choice of graphite as a medium. Why graphite instead of ink, or charcoal? Does it mimic the graphite, rosin, horsehair, ivory or rare woods that goes into instruments? Does the very choice reinforce class boundaries even through the means of creating a mere picture? Editor: That's something I hadn't considered. It highlights how seemingly simple choices reflect larger economic realities. Curator: And that's the core of a materialist approach - uncovering the social and economic threads woven into the very fabric of art. Editor: So, looking beyond just the image and considering its place in a network of production and consumption. Fascinating, I hadn’t thought of art quite that way before. Curator: There is something about considering how artistic interpretation affects every aspect of material creation and consumption in history that really deepens our understanding of it.