Soldier and girl c. 1771 - 1772

This delicate watercolor, "Soldier and Girl," was made by Georg Melchior Kraus sometime in the 18th century. It’s easy to miss the skillful rendering here, because of the image’s apparent simplicity. Kraus was working within a well-established tradition of watercolor painting, favored for its portability and capacity to capture subtle effects of light. Look closely and you’ll see the application of thin washes, one over another, to build up the forms of the figures and their garments. But it's not just technique on display here, it's social observation. Kraus meticulously details the clothing of the soldier and the girl, indicative of their respective social positions. The soldier's uniform suggests military service, while the girl’s traditional dress speaks to regional identity. In this way, Kraus uses the conventions of portraiture to make a record of a time and place. The very act of observing and recording such details elevates the everyday. By paying close attention to materials and making, we gain insight into the lives and identities of those represented.