Three Groups of Dancers 

Editor: So, this is “Three Groups of Dancers” by John Flaxman, created as a drawing. It's delicate, almost fleeting, like he captured these figures in the middle of movement. What do you make of it? Curator: I’m interested in the material simplicity – the quickness of the sketch. Flaxman’s reliance on line reflects a specific mode of artistic production. Consider the accessibility of pencil and paper in comparison to, say, marble or oils. How might this affect the democratization of art making, shifting it from a highly specialized craft to a more widespread form of visual expression and record? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I was so focused on the figures themselves, I hadn’t really considered the materials and their social context. The quick strokes, does it imply these drawings were preparatory? Curator: Precisely. These studies, enabled by inexpensive materials, were fundamental to his process, leading perhaps to larger, more “finished” works. This allows us to rethink what counts as valuable or finished. Editor: I see! So it challenges the hierarchy between sketch and finalized artwork by emphasizing the role of drawing, of humble materials, within artistic production and social context? Curator: Precisely. Further think of who could gain access to this art! Editor: Wow, I didn’t see it that way at all at first. Thanks to you, now I'm eager to learn more about Flaxman and the materials he used. Curator: And I appreciate your reminder of the dance captured on the paper! I will focus more on the emotional state of the figures, not just on production and materialism.