Atreus Showing his Brother Thyestes the Heads of His Children c. 1720 - 1724

Editor: This drawing by François Boucher, "Atreus Showing his Brother Thyestes the Heads of His Children," is rendered in a warm, red chalk. It’s incredibly dramatic, and the line work is so expressive. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Consider the process of producing red chalk itself. The mining, the grinding, the binding – these are all stages of labor. How does Boucher's deployment of this medium relate to the violent narrative he depicts? Is there a connection between the earth itself and the themes of betrayal and revenge? Editor: That's a fascinating way to look at it. So, the material is not just a tool but part of the message? Curator: Precisely. Think of the social context too. Who was consuming such imagery? And how did the accessibility of red chalk influence the proliferation of similar narratives? Editor: I'm definitely going to think about Boucher's materials differently now. Thanks!