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Editor: This small, undated sketch by Sir David Wilkie shows figures in simple ink lines. It feels spontaneous, almost like a glimpse into his creative process. What can you tell me about its context? Curator: Given Wilkie's focus on genre scenes, these figures are likely studies for a larger composition intended for public consumption. Consider how such quick sketches served as vital, yet unseen, steps in crafting images that reflected and shaped popular ideas. Editor: So, it’s less about the individual drawing and more about its role in his overall practice? Curator: Precisely. The sketch gains importance when we examine how it functions within the broader landscape of 19th-century artistic production and its relationship to the public. Editor: That makes me see it in a completely different light, more as a document of artistic labor! Curator: Exactly. It's a window into the making of art and its societal role.