Head of a Girl, for "Una" 1829 - 1832

Curator: Washington Allston's "Head of a Girl, for 'Una'", residing here at the Harvard Art Museums, presents us with a delicate study in red chalk. Editor: It feels so intimate, doesn’t it? Like a whisper of a person, sketched in a fleeting moment, and full of longing. Curator: The economy of line is masterful. Notice how Allston employs hatching and cross-hatching to model the face and suggest depth, while the pale blue paper offers both ground and atmosphere. Editor: It's intriguing to see such a raw sketch intended for “Una.” It gives her, this archetypal virtuous maiden, a human softness often lost in grander portrayals. Curator: Indeed, a glimpse behind the allegorical curtain. The formal constraints allow Allston to tap into a unique emotional register. Editor: Right. Almost like catching a heroine off-duty, pondering her next heroic deed. Lovely.