Grandma's Favourite 1893

Editor: So, here we have "Grandma's Favourite," an oil painting created in 1893 by Georgios Jakobides. It depicts an elderly woman and a young child sharing fruit. What stands out to me is the focus on everyday domesticity; the act of feeding a child seems almost monumental. How do you see it? Curator: This work's value resides in how Jakobides elevates the quotidian labor of care. Look at the materiality of it – the thick paint, the clear effort to render the textures of skin, cloth, and fruit. This is not just observation, it’s *work*. He transforms a simple moment into a valuable commodity, framed and preserved. Does the apparent skill on display challenge the viewer's preconceived notions about labour, worth, and art’s purpose within 19th century Greece? Editor: I see what you mean about the labour – both in the depicted act and in the painting process. The fact that it’s an oil painting, a traditionally high-art medium, elevates what would otherwise be a mundane scene. It almost asks us to value domestic work in the same way we value other forms of production. But, did he exhibit or sell this work to affluent customers and further consolidate his socio-economic standing within the status quo? Curator: Precisely! Considering the target audience and consumption patterns surrounding art during that era becomes paramount. To truly delve deeper, examining Jakobides' relationship with his patrons, materials, and marketplace dynamics will provide valuable insight into its socio-economic underpinnings. Editor: That makes so much sense! I didn't really think about the economy of art and the way it can elevate subjects we don’t normally consider valuable. Curator: Indeed! It pushes us to reconsider not only the aesthetic qualities but also the socio-economic relationships interwoven within the artwork.