John Arkins, Denver Rocky Mountain News, from the American Editors series (N1) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

Editor: This is John Arkins, Denver Rocky Mountain News, a drawing printed in 1887, part of the American Editors series. The size and detail make me wonder how it was created. What catches your eye? Curator: The intricate hatching employed to render tonal variations is remarkable, wouldn't you agree? Notice how this technique generates a sense of depth within the portrait. Editor: Absolutely. The way the lines define the shape of his face is interesting. Does the rigid form suggest anything to you? Curator: Consider the overall composition, with its strong vertical and horizontal lines, a very simple structure indeed. The layering effect is most dominant, especially around the border of the piece, that ultimately works to focus the viewer's gaze to the middle, where our subject sits. Editor: And how do the colors enhance the structure? Curator: The subdued palette of browns and creams creates a somewhat aged feel to it, while the touches of color highlight Arkins’s humanity and soften what could have been a rather severe depiction of the man. In its entirety, this technique lends an air of established importance. Editor: That’s a great observation. Thinking about form rather than context gives me an insight into a way to examine portraiture through a technical and philosophical approach. Curator: Precisely, by meticulously examining these formal aspects we start to consider this as less about historical record, and instead the beginning of art separated from objective reality.