A Project for a Bas-Relief for the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel 1826

Editor: This sketch by Pierre-Jean David d'Angers, "A Project for a Bas-Relief for the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel," shows what looks like a classical scene in graphite. What strikes me is how the medium contrasts with the intended monumentality. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: This drawing is interesting because it lets us consider artistic labor. We see the artist's hand, the quick strokes, the iterative process of design. We can almost feel the pressure he felt, responding to the political climate and the demands of monumental sculpture. It pushes us to think, what kind of labor went into this artwork? Editor: That’s fascinating! It’s easy to overlook the physical effort behind these grand projects. I’ll definitely look at sketches differently now.