Sketch for ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’ 1828

Curator: This is John Varley's "Sketch for ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’," held here at the Tate. The piece offers a glimpse into Varley’s fascination with astrology and the connections between human features and the zodiac. Editor: There's a real lightness to this sketch, despite what I imagine to be quite complicated source material. You can almost feel the graphite moving across the page. Curator: Indeed! The woman's profile embodies classical beauty ideals, rendered in a delicate style. One wonders what astrological sign she was meant to represent. Editor: And look at the paper itself – the visible aging, the slight tears around the edges. It’s fascinating to consider how such fragile materials become vessels for enduring ideas. The paper’s materiality adds to the reading. Curator: Definitely. Astrology itself is a deeply symbolic language, revealing our enduring need to find meaning in the cosmos. Editor: It certainly highlights our human tendency to look for patterns, whether in the stars or in the studio. Curator: A fascinating sketch all around. Editor: Absolutely.