Lake Shore 1868 - 1869

Editor: So, here we have "Lake Shore," a pencil drawing made by John Singer Sargent around 1868 or 1869. It feels almost…unfinished, but there's a real sense of peace about it. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: Well, immediately I’m struck by how this seemingly simple sketch participates in the broader cultural conversation around landscape and national identity that was prominent during that period. Think of the Hudson River School, even though Sargent isn’t directly associated with them. How might this drawing engage or diverge from their ideals of portraying an idealized, sublime American landscape? Editor: That's interesting! I wouldn't immediately connect it. The scale is so much smaller, and the tone seems quieter. Curator: Exactly! And that's precisely the point. It's not grand, panoramic vista designed to inspire awe and patriotic feeling. It is a much more intimate engagement. It acknowledges the growth of industrial centers at the time, but takes as a retreat away from larger public affairs into quiet nature and smaller communities. The very act of sketching, too, becomes a form of personal reflection amidst significant societal shifts. Do you see the connection now? Editor: I think so! It is not bombastic. This makes me consider the potential socio-political power in subtlety. It almost whispers. I’ll think differently about the art I engage from now on. Curator: And that is why art is impactful! Thanks. Editor: Thanks to you, too!