Lady Dashwood and Her Son 1780 - 1790

Curator: "Lady Dashwood and Her Son," painted by Charles Howard Hodges between 1780 and 1790, offers a tender portrayal rendered in oil paint. The visible brushstrokes give it an almost unfinished, sketch-like quality. How do you perceive the relationship between materiality and meaning here? Editor: I think the rough texture contributes to the intimate and slightly melancholic mood. Considering it’s oil paint, normally associated with more formal portraiture, its treatment here feels quite raw. How does the medium challenge expectations in this case? Curator: Precisely! Oil paint, traditionally employed for its smooth, illusionistic effects in depicting wealth and status, is used here in a way that highlights its inherent materiality. The visible brushwork disrupts the smooth surfaces usually associated with portraits of the gentry, potentially indicating a shift in how this family wanted to be seen, or how Hodges, the artist, perceived or indeed, challenged traditional depictions of upper-class families. Can you see a connection between the labor of applying the paint and the image’s message? Editor: So, it's almost like the unfinished quality emphasizes the realness of the subjects, grounding them rather than idealizing them through perfect execution and materials? Curator: Exactly. Consider, too, the social context: Hodges was active in a period of increasing social unrest. Does emphasizing process and a somewhat ‘rougher’ finish bring a kind of honesty to the subjects beyond a facade of wealth and ease? Editor: That’s interesting; the choice of the materiality feels less about ostentatious display and more about capturing a genuine connection, which feels very modern. Curator: Agreed. Hodges offers us insight into the evolving portrayal of status and, significantly, the labor and materials that underpin its creation and consumption, both then and perhaps how we can view it today. Editor: Thanks, I see the painting in a whole new light now, understanding the statement it makes through its specific materiality and the labor that went into it.