Untitled c. 19th century

Curator: This "Untitled" piece by Joseph Andrews, dating back to the 19th century, presents us with a fascinating tableau. Editor: It feels intimate. Look at the crosshatching, the way the figures huddle together, almost like a secret society. Curator: Precisely. The materials themselves suggest a class context. Note how the artist uses the scene to subtly critique prevailing societal norms through the leisure of the men. Editor: I’m drawn to the drum. It makes me consider what the men are playing or what materials they could have gotten that drum from. Curator: It's a work that invites questions about masculinity and marginality. The figures are certainly not aligned with conventional notions of heroism. Editor: We can also use that thought to think about the consumption of leisure and the labor the men go through on a daily basis. Curator: Absolutely. It’s the kind of work that makes you consider the wider social, and political contexts of 19th century society. Editor: It is also a reminder of the artistry and labor embedded in printmaking and materials from that era.