Two Standing Figures 1872

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "Two Standing Figures." It's a small sketch, just 15 by 11 cm, but the figures still seem quite imposing. What do you see in the composition that creates that effect? Curator: The work's power lies in its economy of line. Note how Sargent uses the barest suggestion to define form and volume. The contrast between the density of line in the figures' upper bodies and the relative sparseness of the lower portions creates a visual weight, drawing our eye upward. Editor: That’s fascinating. Curator: Consider too the positioning of the figures; their placement on the page and their relationship to one another. This is a study in contrasts, isn’t it? One faces us, the other is turned away, inviting speculation. Editor: I see that now. Curator: The beauty is in the balance, despite the asymmetry. These minimal lines contain a remarkable sense of presence, would you agree? Editor: Absolutely, I never would have noticed that on my own.