‘Incorrigible!’ 1883

Curator: Charles Samuel Keene, born in 1823, created this pen and ink drawing called ‘Incorrigible!’. It’s quite small, just 175 by 146 mm, and is part of the Tate Collections. Editor: It immediately evokes a sense of Victorian disapproval, doesn’t it? The dark hatching creates an atmosphere of stern judgment. Curator: Keene was a master of social commentary, often using humor to critique the rigid class structures of Victorian England. Here, we see a well-dressed gentleman confronting a disheveled clerk. Editor: The clerk's posture, the way he leans with that umbrella, it suggests a deep-seated defiance, almost a caricature of the working class. The hat he holds seems like a prop, a symbol of forced respectability. Curator: Indeed, the reversed "Clerk's Office" sign hints at institutional failings. Keene often used such subtle visual cues to critique social norms. It challenges the viewer to question who exactly is 'Incorrigible!'. Editor: The use of pen and ink adds to that sense of immediacy, capturing a fleeting moment of social tension. It’s a study in contrasts, really. Curator: Absolutely, and it's those contrasts—the sharp lines against soft shading, the social classes facing off—that make Keene's work so compelling as both art and social commentary. Editor: It leaves one pondering the lasting power of symbols in defining our social roles.