Left Ear, for "Beatrice" c. 1819

Curator: This is Washington Allston's "Left Ear, for 'Beatrice'," a small charcoal sketch from the early 19th century, now at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's a quietness here, almost a reverence. Just an ear, rendered with such delicate precision against this pale blue paper. I can almost feel the artist's breath held as he captured it. Curator: Ears in art often symbolize attention, obedience, and the receptivity to higher knowledge. Allston was deeply spiritual, so it resonates. Editor: Interesting. It also feels intensely personal, a fragment of a larger whole, like a secret whispered only to the artist. Curator: Perhaps Allston was inviting the viewer to consider their own listening, the messages we choose to hear. Editor: Maybe. Or maybe it’s just a really beautiful ear. Either way, I find myself strangely moved. Curator: Yes, a testament to how much emotion can be found in the smallest details.