Two Girls in the Woods 

Editor: Here we have "Two Girls in the Woods" by Robert Henri, and what immediately strikes me is the layering of colour through what looks like charcoal and pastel, making it seem like a snapshot of fleeting observation. What can you tell us about Henri's approach here? Curator: Looking at the materiality of the artwork – the pastels, charcoal, the drawing itself – it becomes important to think about the labour involved in its creation. How does this image challenge or blur the lines between traditionally "high" art like oil painting and perhaps something considered more accessible, like a pastel drawing? Editor: That’s interesting! I hadn't considered how the medium itself impacts its artistic status. The loose strokes feel almost like a study, an everyday sketch. Curator: Precisely! Think about the social context and Robert Henri's role within the Ashcan School. They aimed to depict everyday life. How do the chosen materials here reflect the themes they explored? The seeming lack of preciousness in materials may well be quite deliberate. Editor: That makes perfect sense! The accessibility of pastel and charcoal echoes the Ashcan School’s desire to depict ordinary life, bringing art closer to the masses through subject matter and, in this case, through humbler materials and means of production. Curator: And doesn't the loose application create an intimate atmosphere that brings us closer to the lives of these girls, too? How different would this be in oils? Editor: I think you’re right! Framing the artwork in terms of its materials has really opened my eyes to the conscious choices the artist makes in reflecting the world around him. Curator: Indeed, examining art through a material lens gives us insight into not just the artistic skill, but also the economic and social realities of its time. A drawing is more than simply a picture; it can be a reflection of accessibility and artistic democratization.