Verdigris 1927

Editor: Here we have Verdigris by Charles Roberson and Co., a pigment sample dated 1927. The color is striking, a vibrant teal in the jar. What do you make of this object? Curator: The jar and sample foreground the material conditions of art production. Roberson & Co. weren't artists, but manufacturers shaping art through pigment creation. Consider the labor, trade networks, and chemical processes embedded in this color. Editor: So, it's about the means, not just the image? Curator: Precisely. Verdigris wasn't just a color; it was a product of industry and science, consumed by artists. Understanding that shifts our focus from individual genius to collective effort. What does that suggest to you? Editor: I guess it makes me think more about art as a product of its time, reflecting its social and economic context. Curator: Exactly. And that changes how we value art.