Roche Brasiliano 

Editor: This is Henry William Bunbury's pencil sketch of Roche Brasiliano. It feels so immediate and raw. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Look at the visible pressure applied by Bunbury. How does this speak to you about the economic context of the paper, the pencil, and the very act of sketching a pirate? Editor: So, it’s about labor and resources? Curator: Precisely. The scarcity and value of materials shape the artwork’s very existence and our understanding of 18th-century perceptions of piracy. Editor: I hadn't considered that the drawing material itself influenced the subject. Curator: The choice of medium and its accessibility reveals much about Bunbury's world and how he chose to portray Roche Brasiliano.