Frontispiece, Portrait of W. W. Corcoran 1890 - 1891

Editor: This is "Frontispiece, Portrait of W. W. Corcoran," created by James Henry Moser between 1890 and 1891 using pen and ink. I'm really struck by the framing around the blank space, and how much detail is in those leaves. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, consider the material conditions. Ink and pen – readily available, relatively inexpensive. This suggests a process accessible to a broad range of practitioners, blurring lines between the artisan and the academic artist. This work then compels us to ask who controlled access to art-making materials in the late 19th century? Editor: I see what you mean. It seems almost like a commercial print, mass-produced, given the materials. But isn’t portraiture generally considered “high art?” Curator: Exactly! By utilizing these "humble" materials for portraiture, a traditionally high-art genre, Moser is making a statement about the means of production and the social status imbued in different art forms. How does the subject, W.W. Corcoran, influence that dynamic? Editor: Given his name is prominent at the bottom, I assume Corcoran was important to the work and the artist. Was he a patron? How might the production of this frontispiece acknowledge or even rely on patronage networks? Curator: Precisely. So, the materials and production processes hint at larger economic structures in place and about how art is consumed, valued, and circulated in society. Thinking about these questions adds depth, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, it’s more than just ink on paper; it reflects a whole system of production and consumption! It encourages a totally different way to approach portraiture. Curator: Exactly.