Carriage with Driver and Groom: Spring 

Editor: This delicate drawing is called "Carriage with Driver and Groom: Spring" by Constantin Guys. It seems to be made with watercolor and pencil. I'm really struck by the quickness of the strokes. What do you notice about how it was made? Curator: Well, given the title, the first thing I see is the depiction of a leisure class. Look at the very *stuff* that allows this scene to exist: horses bred for carriage, the materials of the carriage itself, the uniforms worn by the staff. It screams of a society built on particular modes of production and the management of labor. Do you think this rendering romanticizes the work involved? Editor: I think there is certainly something romantic in how free and elegant it all seems to be. How do the chosen materials contribute to that impression? Curator: Consider the easy portability of pencil and watercolor. Guys, as a *flâneur*, could quickly capture these scenes, producing these images with relatively inexpensive and readily available materials, as opposed to the laborious effort of, say, oil painting. That inherent disposability speaks volumes about the pace of urban life and the proliferation of images. Does this shift your understanding of the piece at all? Editor: Yes, definitely. It highlights the consumerism involved with art making, and with leisure. Thanks. Curator: Absolutely, considering the materiality helps unlock the context and purpose behind the artwork, enriching the viewers interpretation of the artwork and revealing more profound stories.