The Foot Bath (Drying Out) 

Editor: Here we have "The Foot Bath (Drying Out)," a drawing by Thomas Rowlandson, seemingly created with pen, ink, and watercolour. The scene feels quite intimate, depicting figures in a bedroom. What strikes you most about this sketch? Curator: It's the emphasis on everyday labor that captivates me. We often overlook the material conditions that underpin these seemingly simple acts of personal hygiene. Editor: So, you’re seeing a focus on the ‘making’ of cleanliness itself, more than just the end result? Curator: Precisely. Consider the process: the sourcing and heating of water, the labor of servants tending to the bather's needs. Even the crafting of the basin becomes relevant. How does its form facilitate the act of washing? Is it porcelain, or something more humble? The drawing invites us to consider the socio-economic structures enabling this scene. Editor: I see your point! I hadn’t considered the class implications embedded within this mundane act. The paper itself – its toned quality suggests it was likely an affordable material readily at hand for quick sketches, making me wonder about its purpose. Was it for personal exploration or commissioned work? Curator: Good question! And think about the pigments Rowlandson used for the watercolour. Were they expensive, or locally sourced? What did it mean to represent these figures using those specific materials, at that particular time, given the cost and labor involved in obtaining them? Editor: That really opens up a new perspective for me. It moves beyond just appreciating the aesthetic and forces us to analyze its production. I will remember this materialist lens. Curator: It transforms our understanding. The art isn't simply a depiction, but a record of material practices and social relations, revealing production value.