[title not known] Verso: Sketch 1840

Curator: This is a sketch by Elizabeth Rigby from the Tate Collections, the date is unknown. My immediate impression is a study in contrasts, light and shadow, inside and out. Editor: It certainly speaks of the Victorian era and its focus on gender roles. We see the woman seated, almost confined to the domestic space, while the man is positioned near the window, seemingly ready to venture into the world. Curator: Precisely. Rigby, writing under her husband’s name, critiqued similar societal norms. The architecture – those Gothic arches – further encloses the scene, creating a visual metaphor for restriction. Editor: But note how the light falls, illuminating both figures. The crisp lines and hatching create a sense of depth, drawing the eye to the interplay of gazes and the subtle tension between them. It’s formally quite accomplished. Curator: The sketch anticipates the debates about women’s agency in marriage, a common theme in 19th-century literature and art. Editor: So, the composition and the narrative are intertwined. Curator: Absolutely, it's a compelling visual commentary on the social dynamics of the time. Editor: I see now, thanks to your contextual insights, how the artist's choices amplify the implied narrative.