Ulrich Truchseß zu Waldburg 

Curator: Ulrich Truchsess zu Waldburg, an ink drawing, captures a historical figure. I’m struck by the detail in the armor and clothing, it's very intricate. What can we understand by looking at how this image was crafted? Editor: How the labor shapes the perception of power, perhaps? Curator: Precisely. Consider the context. The type of ink used and the method of application - does it strike you as particularly opulent or economical? It suggests the resources available for this depiction and the intended audience. Is this a preparatory sketch or a presentation piece, intended for display or something else? Editor: It feels almost like a pattern or study, maybe something used for production of a tapestry or larger painting later? Curator: Yes, it certainly might have functioned in that manner! Think about how the drawing serves as a record of a particular moment, maybe not so much the sitter but of fashion, arms and armour of the time, and how the materials available and the labor invested contribute to the artwork's inherent worth as much as the likeness captured. How might we interpret the materials as contributing meaning to this portrayal? Editor: So, beyond just being a representation of Ulrich, it also tells us something about the process of image-making in this period? The cost and accessibility of certain inks would signal power differently than others, dictating how the subject would have been portrayed and perceived. Curator: Exactly! By looking at the materials and techniques, we start to understand more about social structures. Editor: That's a helpful perspective; I will look at materiality differently going forward!