Dr. Edwin Williams [verso] 1956

Editor: This is Benton Spruance’s 1956 charcoal lithograph, "Dr. Edwin Williams [verso]". It's interesting how he captured so much detail using primarily charcoal, a medium often associated with sketches. How do you see the materiality informing its meaning? Curator: The choice of lithography combined with charcoal is key. Lithography allowed for relatively mass production, shifting fine art closer to printmaking and the world of reproducible media. Then, Spruance uses charcoal, with its inherent smudginess and the way it grabs the paper, lending a textured, almost working-class feel to the traditionally high-society genre of portraiture. Look at the details in his academic gown, see the gradations of the charcoal… consider the labor involved. What does this suggest to you about Spruance’s view of intellect and academic life? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. I just thought charcoal gave it a kind of somber tone. The fact that it is a print means many were likely produced. Was this common? Curator: Exactly! It's the democratisation of the image, the shifting away from unique, commissioned portraits toward a world where images are readily available. Does this perhaps hint at a transition of power structures within the academic world or more broadly? Also notice the book he is holding. Editor: The image raises interesting points about the changing landscape of art production, then, not just as a visual representation but also as a commodity. Curator: Precisely. By carefully manipulating materials and engaging with processes of production, Spruance is commenting on social structures of his time, the role of intellectual work, and who has access to images and information. Editor: Thanks. Looking closely at the materials helps unravel the social message embedded in the artwork!