Upon the Mart 1870 - 1891

Editor: Here we have Charles Samuel Keene’s "Upon the Mart," a drawing made between 1870 and 1891 using graphite, ink, and pen on paper. It's… intriguing. A quiet encounter, rendered with such detailed cross-hatching. The body language feels so specific. What do you read in this piece? Curator: Ah, Keene! I feel this one deep in my bones, a forgotten whisper of Victorian London. See the city gents, poised as though on a stage? Their umbrellas, those dark, drooping petals, speak volumes of London drizzle, and the closed-in expectations of social exchange. It makes you wonder what’s actually happening! Is it a chance meeting? A hushed transaction? And is that other fellow in the background lingering in the shadows to eavesdrop, or does he exist merely in the aether? Editor: Eavesdropping! I like that. It adds a layer of tension. So, you're drawn to the implied narrative, rather than just the technical skill? Curator: Technique and narrative are like smoke and mirrors in a piece like this, no? Look at those brisk, nervous lines! I’d hazard that it’s a mirror held up to urban anxieties, and the performance of propriety amidst it all. It makes me remember an awkward conversation I had just last week about– well, never mind. What about you, how does it strike *your* fancy? Editor: I think the lack of a clear narrative allows each viewer to bring their own experience to it, which keeps it relevant. Also, it kind of makes me glad I don't have to wear a top hat. Curator: A grand sentiment, wouldn’t you say? Here’s hoping for art that sheds its stuffy attire and comes to us in shirtsleeves, ready to say hello!