Drapery (bonnet_) 

Victor Müller made this study of drapery with graphite on paper sometime in the 19th century. The artist used thin dark lines to outline the shape of the fabric, and filled the inside with delicate shading to create the illusion of light and shadow. The way an artist renders fabric might seem minor, but it speaks volumes. Garments and accessories – even something as simple as a bonnet – were central to social identity. In the 19th century, the industrial revolution made textiles cheaper and more available, and the fashion industry grew accordingly. A drawing like this is as much a study of social life as it is a record of manual skill. Think of all the labor that went into that one bonnet: the growing of cotton or flax, the spinning of thread, the weaving of cloth, the cutting and sewing. Müller’s close attention acknowledges all of this. It reminds us that the most refined aesthetic effects are often rooted in everyday labor and materiality.