Single Female Figure (from Sketchbook) 1796 - 1886

Curator: Asher Brown Durand's "Single Female Figure," a graphite and pencil sketch from his sketchbook, presumably dating sometime between 1796 and 1886. What jumps out at you? Editor: It feels so ephemeral, doesn't it? Like a memory fading at the edges. There's a gentleness in the lines. It reminds me of Jane Austen, but in visual form. Curator: Durand, a prominent figure in the Hudson River School, clearly used this as a study. Her simple dress with the high waist situates her in a vaguely neo-classical space, with those flowing lines. Editor: Absolutely! That Empire silhouette, echoing classical drapery, signals aspiration. And the way he's caught her looking slightly off to the side, it’s as if he's capturing a private moment. It's very romantic. Did he plan to come back to this? Curator: Hard to say. But if you consider that Romanticism really dove deep into inner emotional lives and individualized experience, then even an everyday figure sketch can transform into a symbolic character study. Durand really shows a personal way of seeing. Editor: Precisely. And notice the rendering of her hands. They’re not just hands; they’re almost like signifiers of a certain social class and refinement. Elongated and delicate – conveying gentility. Also I am stuck on her bun hairstyle, that tells us something about status as well, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed. Details of dress and deportment were potent visual markers. The unfinished nature only amplifies that feeling of immediacy and authenticity that I've come to love. You are really seeing Durand in a moment. Editor: And thinking about its placement in a sketchbook… these weren’t meant for public consumption, were they? These quick drawings really give insight into the private creative process, maybe even the hidden world of his muses. It makes me think about how many female figures exist in artist's sketchbooks, invisible to the public. Curator: I completely agree. I see this work now with a richer perspective. I now see her also through the light of social commentary as well as form and beauty. Editor: Exactly! Every line, every choice whispers a secret. Now, what’s the next enigma we're tackling?