A Copy after a Painting Traditionally Attributed to Van Dyck of Two Monks Reading 

Editor: Here we have “A Copy after a Painting Traditionally Attributed to Van Dyck of Two Monks Reading,” made using oil paint by Thomas Gainsborough. It's really striking how simple the composition is, just two figures. What can you tell us about this painting? Curator: I find it interesting that we focus on its attribution. A "copy," of a painting. What processes are at work to make the image here, to copy it? It speaks volumes about the means of production, not just Gainsborough’s skill, but the social structures that necessitate copying. Did patrons want a more accessible Van Dyck? Who was employed to copy these paintings, and how does that impact their value? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn’t considered the role of the copier. Curator: Consider, too, the materials used. Oil paint, so integral to this period, allowed for a layering of meaning and image through a tangible medium, reflecting labor. We see the brownness and earth tones that speak to access and availability during the period for color materials, possibly also their cost. Are these colors mimicking older methods and their material availability, therefore? What social dynamics come into play when we assess access to materials for the image-making industry? Editor: So you're saying the very materiality reflects a deeper socioeconomic reality of image-making? Curator: Precisely. By investigating the processes, labor, and materials we reveal what an art object means. Editor: I'm beginning to see the work in a completely new light! I'll remember that while thinking about art making from now on. Curator: Excellent! That close look at material realities can bring fresh appreciation for art's wider impact and social conditions.