Sketches of Figures Bearing Arms (from Sketchbook) 1891

Editor: So, here we have "Sketches of Figures Bearing Arms" from a sketchbook by Albert Bierstadt, created in 1891. It’s a pen and pencil drawing on paper, currently housed at the Met. It’s really striking how rudimentary the sketches are. I mean, it’s just pure, unfiltered process. What’s your take on this? Curator: This is a fascinating example of art as labor and process. Note how the focus is not on finished forms, but on the working out of poses, garments, weapons. Bierstadt gives us a glimpse into the means of production, into the material basis of image-making. Editor: Interesting. I hadn't considered it in terms of "labor". Is there a broader context here? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the socio-economic implications of art production at the time. Bierstadt was a prominent figure. A piece like this lets us analyze the class dimension of artistic creation; sketches like these allowed the artist to explore various compositions and figures. And were likely studies for other works. We should ask what sort of cultural power he would wield in comparison to his contemporaries and predecessors who may not have enjoyed such means? How does access to materials and the luxury of experimentation influence his practice, his end products, and the market that will ultimately value the end results? Editor: I never thought about sketching materials themselves representing labor and power dynamics... Curator: It reframes our understanding, doesn't it? We are accustomed to evaluating artworks for aesthetic achievement. Materialist art history asks us to consider the material conditions and the hands that made them, both of which carry tremendous social information. Editor: Right. So, rather than solely looking at the outcome, we are to analyze its inputs. Thanks, I'll remember that! Curator: Exactly! The artist, the material, and the process; always a powerful trio!