Windmill at Sanssouci; verso: Landscape 1872

Curator: This is John Singer Sargent's sketch, "Windmill at Sanssouci," residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels unfinished, almost like a fleeting thought captured in pencil. The perspective is wonky, but there's a charm to it. Curator: Exactly! There's an intimacy in its raw, almost vulnerable state. Sargent’s use of line is fascinating here – the skeletal structure of the windmill, juxtaposed with the softer, almost cloud-like foliage. Editor: Note the contrast: the hard, geometric mill versus organic shapes all around. It's like a dialogue between man and nature, industry and serenity. Curator: I think Sargent was looking for that harmony. He wasn't just depicting a windmill; he was capturing a feeling, the light and air around it. I can almost hear the whisper of the wind. Editor: Agreed. Despite its simplicity, the sketch invites us to pause, to consider the enduring relationship between the built environment and the natural world, and to appreciate the beauty in imperfection. Curator: Well said. A perfect little glimpse into Sargent's mind.