[title not known] 

Editor: This is a pen and ink wash drawing of two draped women by William Hamilton. The use of brown wash gives it a warm, classical feel. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The classical drapery certainly evokes a sense of timelessness, but it’s important to consider Hamilton’s context. Think about the rise of Neoclassicism and its relationship to power and ideals of beauty in the late 18th century. Do these figures reinforce or challenge those ideals? Editor: I see what you mean! The unfinished lower figure seems to reveal a tension between ideal form and the reality of the body. Curator: Precisely! The incompleteness prompts us to question whose bodies were deemed worthy of immortalization and how societal power structures influenced artistic representation. Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way; it’s so much more than just a classical drawing. Curator: It invites us to critically examine the narratives embedded within art history and their continued relevance today.