Convent near Santiago 

Editor: This is "Convent near Santiago," a pen and ink drawing by Muirhead Bone. It's a beautiful cityscape. The lines are so delicate. What jumps out at me is how the artist uses very simple materials to create such depth. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, immediately I’m drawn to the directness of Bone's chosen media. The readily available, almost utilitarian nature of pen and ink subverts expectations of the artwork as precious, elevated object. Consider the social context; what were the material conditions that favored the use of such simple tools? Was this about accessibility or portability, connected to shifting markets and consumption practices around art making at the time? Editor: That’s interesting. So, instead of seeing the pen and ink as just a simple choice, we should consider its significance in the context of artistic production and potentially consumption during Bone's time. Do you think that approach can apply to any art form, not just drawings? Curator: Absolutely! Thinking about any artwork, we can investigate the specific materials chosen and their availability and cost, or how they tie to social or economic factors that may have impacted both the artist and audience, the patronage systems or evolving commercial networks, the very structures that enabled creation and consumption. For example, the use of rare pigments versus readily available dyes can be very revealing. Editor: That is a perspective I hadn’t really considered before. Curator: It can lead to some very compelling art historical narratives, digging beneath the surface appearance to explore the material and cultural realities in which it was produced and viewed! Editor: I will keep that in mind from now on, thanks!