Standard (from Sketchbook) 1891

Editor: Here we have Albert Bierstadt’s "Standard (from Sketchbook)," an 1891 pen and ink drawing on paper, currently housed here at the Met. It feels very skeletal and unfinished… almost like an architectural blueprint for a medieval torture device. What do you make of it? Curator: Torture device, you say? Ha! Well, darling, I always appreciate a fresh perspective. It feels more ceremonial to me. Perhaps Bierstadt was sketching ideas for a parade banner or a stage prop for a historical pageant? Imagine the silk, the velvet, the glint of gilt paint! Notice how the pen strokes aren't precious, they are quick, confident. He's capturing a fleeting image from his mind's eye. What story could this banner be telling? Editor: That’s an interesting point! I initially focused on what's there - sparse lines, bare bones, if you will - and less on what *could* be there, the untold potential within this sketch. So, we’re talking about possibility here? Curator: Exactly! Look at the little crown-like details; doesn’t that suggest nobility, ceremony? And the geometric lines - pure Bierstadt. Even in a sketch, you feel the weight of history and the pull of the unknown. Don’t you just love that? Editor: I think I'm starting to see it your way. My gut reaction was admittedly harsh, but I like this reframing quite a lot. Curator: You know, darling, it's that tension, that back-and-forth, that’s what makes looking at art so delicious! Each mark holds a whisper of intent. Editor: Thanks for sharing your insights! It really opened my eyes to appreciate the story behind what at first seemed just like some lines on paper. Curator: My pleasure, sweetheart! Always a thrill to uncover a few more brushstrokes to that hidden world!