Cliff, Porcupine Islands, Mount Desert Island, Maine; verso: Partial Landscape 1864

Editor: So, this is Sanford Robinson Gifford's pencil sketch, "Cliff, Porcupine Islands, Mount Desert Island, Maine." It looks like a page from a sketchbook, very simple. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: The material quality of the paper itself speaks volumes. Consider the social context of sketching en plein air during the mid-19th century. How did the availability and cost of materials like sketchbooks shape artistic practice and access to art making? Editor: That’s an interesting point! So, you’re thinking about how the economics of art supplies influenced who could even create such sketches? Curator: Precisely. And what about the labor involved in producing this paper? Did Gifford consider these aspects? How does this alter our perspective? Editor: I see what you mean. It's more than just a landscape; it's a document of a specific time, place, and economic reality of art production. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! Examining materiality offers a critical lens for understanding art's deeper social and economic connections.