Profilstudie af to kvindehoveder med hat 1885 - 1890

Editor: Here we have "Profile Study of Two Female Heads with Hats," a pencil drawing made between 1885 and 1890 by L.A. Ring. The paper has a warm tone, and the marks seem quickly jotted down. The figures almost feel unfinished, like glimpses caught on the go. What do you make of this sketch? Curator: For me, this piece is fascinating as a study of the material conditions of art production at the time. Consider the relative affordability and accessibility of pencil and paper compared to oil paints. This impacted who could create and how they did so. Notice how the rough texture of the paper shows through the pencil strokes, it isn’t concealed under layers of finish like an academic painting might be. This reveals the directness of the artist’s hand and the immediacy of the artistic process. The hats suggest the sitters occupied a particular class, can you speculate about that? Editor: I suppose the hats do suggest a certain social standing. The women seem…respectable, but not extravagantly wealthy. Do you think Ring chose pencil deliberately, to make a statement about art’s relationship to everyday life? Curator: Precisely! Think about the context: the rise of industrialization, the growing middle class, and debates about art’s role in society. Was Ring critiquing the excesses of academic art, aligning himself with the working classes by choosing a humbler medium? How does the 'unfinished' quality play into that discussion? Editor: So, it is the conscious choice of materials and technique that is communicating a particular message! It does invite questions about accessibility, class, and the nature of art itself. Curator: Exactly. And understanding these choices provides deeper insight into both the artwork and its context. I wonder who these ladies were and how their life and clothing came to be portrayed like this, it says something of Rings intentions too! Editor: Thank you, seeing it through that lens has definitely opened my eyes. I appreciate this Materialist approach!