Sketchbook page c. 1776

Curator: Here we have a sketchbook page by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There is something so unassuming about it. It's a quick sketch, and it feels incredibly intimate, like catching the artist in a private moment. Curator: Exactly. The page seems to capture Saint-Aubin's exploration of form. Note the rapid, almost frenetic pencil strokes depicting both a figure and an ornamental cartouche. It’s all about the process here. Editor: And what is the social context of these fleeting sketches? What does it tell us about the society from which it emerged? Was Saint-Aubin, in his material circumstances, afforded the privilege of these sketches? Curator: The sketch as a medium speaks volumes about accessibility. It is a direct record of the artist’s hand, a testament to the labor involved in artistic creation. Editor: It makes you wonder about Saint-Aubin and the world around him. What was he observing? What was he reacting to? Curator: It's amazing how such a simple work can ignite so many questions. Editor: It’s a great testament to the stories hidden within art, waiting to be uncovered.