Head of a bearded man in profile to the right wearing a turban 1650s

Editor: We are looking at “Head of a bearded man in profile to the right wearing a turban,” a charcoal drawing from the 1650s by Salvator Rosa. I’m struck by the roughness of the charcoal, you can really see the texture, and it feels very immediate. What draws your attention? Curator: Well, consider the economics of artmaking at the time. Rosa, while aspiring to history painting, would have understood that portraiture and smaller works, particularly drawings, provided a more reliable income stream. Think about the *cost* of pigments then, versus readily available charcoal. It democratizes artmaking, wouldn't you agree? Editor: I suppose so, charcoal is available to anyone. Is that what makes it relevant today? Curator: Exactly! We must examine the process of artistic production. Rosa’s choice of charcoal over more expensive materials challenges this divide between high art and "mere" drawing. Charcoal allowed for a faster, more accessible form of production, hinting at a tension between artistic aspiration and the practical demands of the art market. Does that reframe how you see it? Editor: It does, actually. I hadn’t really thought about the cost implications before. Curator: The rapid mark-making too—reflecting not just the artist’s hand, but also the demands placed upon artists at the time to generate work. So the drawing itself becomes a document of its making and the environment it was made in. Editor: It's more than just a portrait then, it speaks to labor. It gives us insight into the working life of an artist like Rosa. Thank you, that’s given me a lot to consider. Curator: And understanding that materiality and process can offer just as much insight as the subject depicted - perhaps even more. A rewarding discovery, I would say.