Sketch, (?Ophelia) 

Editor: This is Paul Falconer Poole's "Sketch, (?Ophelia)," housed here at the Tate. It has such a somber, almost gothic feel to it. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: The rapid brushstrokes and visible canvas point towards a process rooted in the physical act of painting itself. Consider the availability and cost of pigments at the time. Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't thought about the actual creation that much. Curator: Think about the social context surrounding the availability of materials. How does this impact the final work and its reception? Editor: So, the materials and how accessible they were at the time really shaped the artwork we see today. Thanks! Curator: Precisely! It changes how we understand artistic intent and production.