The Marlborough Family c. 1902 - 1905

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "The Marlborough Family," a quick graphite sketch. It's very gestural and fragmented, but I can make out figures. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a glimpse into Sargent’s process and, perhaps unintentionally, the rigid social structures of the Gilded Age. The sketchiness, the lack of detail...does it hint at a discomfort, a resistance to portraying the elite in a flattering light? Editor: Resistance? That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered that. Curator: Sargent often navigated complex relationships with his wealthy patrons. Perhaps these rough sketches are a subtle commentary on that dynamic. A kind of ghost of the family portrait? Editor: A ghost! I like that. I'll never see Sargent the same way. Curator: Art often reflects social tensions, even in its seemingly minor details.