Portret van een mejuffrouw Swiers geboren Moleneyser 1710 - 1777

Editor: So, this is "Portret van een mejuffrouw Swiers geboren Moleneyser" by Mattheus Verheyden, created sometime between 1710 and 1777. It's a drawing using pencil and charcoal. What strikes me most is its… unfinished quality. How do you read it? Curator: Precisely. Let’s think about this ‘unfinished quality.’ What labor went into this portrait? What’s suggested by using relatively inexpensive materials like pencil and charcoal, rather than oils, for example? It wasn’t simply about the artist’s skill. Consider the social and economic structures around portraiture at that time. Was this a preliminary sketch for something grander? A quick commission? Editor: Interesting. So, you’re thinking about it less in terms of aesthetics and more in terms of production and value? Is it possible the 'unfinished' look is, in itself, a choice or a stylistic declaration of a kind of efficiency? Curator: Absolutely! Let's think about that ‘choice.’ What would an ‘unfinished’ portrait signify within Baroque society? Consider also the raw materials. Where did Verheyden source his charcoal and pencils? Were they produced locally or imported? What labor went into manufacturing them? Editor: I never thought about the pencils themselves! That really shifts my focus. I’m so used to thinking about the artist’s hand, but not the literal materials. Curator: Exactly! And who consumed these images? Understanding who paid for such items, and the context in which this drawing was produced gives us insight into the art world of the period. The material and its consumption are always linked. Editor: This has definitely opened my eyes. Thinking about the materials and labour behind even a "simple" drawing gives me a completely new perspective. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Looking closely reveals so much.