Drawing for the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Axonometric Color Study for Cambridge and Quincy Street Elevations c. 20th century

Editor: This is James Stirling's "Drawing for the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Axonometric Color Study for Cambridge and Quincy Street Elevations." The layering of the pink, grey, and orange hues is rather striking. What do you see in this piece, focusing on its formal elements? Curator: The axonometric projection presents a unique spatial experience. Note how the parallel lines, lacking a vanishing point, create a flattened perspective, emphasizing the facade's design. The interplay of color and line constructs depth but also calls attention to the drawing's two-dimensionality. Editor: I see what you mean. The flatness makes the colors seem more like abstract bands than building materials. Curator: Precisely. The color choices are not mimetic but structural. They define the rhythm of the building's form. How does this structured flatness impact your perception? Editor: It makes me think about the drawing as an object itself, rather than just a representation. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, we can appreciate the color relationships as the primary subject. A new way of seeing!