Copy after an Antique Statue of a Standing Draped Woman c. 17th century

Editor: This is "Copy after an Antique Statue of a Standing Draped Woman," attributed to Nicolas Poussin. It's sepia ink on paper. The lines are so graceful; what stands out to you? Curator: I see an engagement with the material conditions of artistic production. Consider the cost of sepia ink, the labor involved in copying. Is this about high art or the craftsman's skill and its inherent value? Editor: So, the copy itself is more important than the original sculpture? Curator: It pushes us to question the value placed on originality versus the skilled reproduction of classical forms and how these copies circulated and were consumed within artistic circles. Food for thought. Editor: Absolutely, I never thought about it that way.