Unidentified model, Thomas Anschutz and J. Laurie Wallace 1883

Curator: Well, the work we're looking at is titled "Unidentified model, Thomas Anschutz and J. Laurie Wallace," a collaborative pencil sketch dating back to 1883. What strikes you initially about this piece? Editor: The overall effect is quite classical, almost like a frieze—figures arranged on a shallow plane, reminiscent of academic studies. The lack of detail adds an element of timelessness, doesn’t it? It’s intriguing but the scratchy effect gives an impression of uneasiness or anxiety somehow. Curator: Interesting observation! Considering it was produced during a time when the Pennsylvania Academy was fostering a very specific artistic ethos, one rooted in observation and the accurate depiction of the human form, would you agree the sketch aligns with its academic objectives? Editor: Absolutely. The poses are deliberately classical, mirroring established traditions. And seeing these two men alongside a reclining nude definitely reminds us of similar images of muses of knowledge, power, and memory, reflecting back to those concepts in classical mythology and its symbolic visual language. Curator: And we have to remember that Eakins and his circle often used photography as studies, though this appears to be purely a drawing. One also wonders how socially acceptable portraying the male nude in that particular way may have been to the public at the time, as it does feel pretty provocative even today. Editor: Indeed, and while the image is a pencil study, the symbolic context gives it a specific presence that surpasses technique. The sketch's rough handling enhances the power of its symbolism and classical undertones, adding a level of mystery to it. Curator: Well, the interplay between artistic tradition, collaborative study, and potentially disruptive social commentary makes this a really interesting work for me. Editor: And for me, seeing this study has opened up pathways to ideas about symbolism and its endurance, prompting reflection on collective memory through visual form.