[title not known] 

Curator: Here we see a delicate pencil sketch of a seated woman by Lady Wharncliffe, born in 1776. It's part of the Tate collection, though undated. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the lightness of the lines. It almost feels like a fleeting impression, barely there on the page. Curator: Precisely. Wharncliffe was an aristocratic woman. We see her engaging with art, but within the bounds of her social sphere. Editor: A private exercise then, perhaps? You can see the careful attention to the fabrics, the fall of the dress. Notions of status communicated through material depiction. Curator: Indeed. It speaks volumes about leisure and education being accessible to women of her standing, yet within very specific parameters. Editor: Looking at the materials used – the pencil, the paper – and the sketch-like quality, it's a fascinating peek into the domestic art practices of the time. Curator: It gives us an insight into the lives of women within a certain social echelon. Editor: It’s a testament to the material realities shaping artistic production and how class and gender intersect through them.