Study for "Frieze of the Angels," Boston Public Library 1893 - 1903

Curator: So here we have John Singer Sargent's "Study for 'Frieze of the Angels,'" destined for the Boston Public Library. It's a grand piece, almost ten feet wide. Editor: My first impression? A bit unsettling, honestly. The angels feel… unfinished, ghostly. Curator: Well, it's a study. Look at the composition, though. Sargent's playing with Byzantine art traditions, the gold leaf, the stylized figures. Editor: I see it, the flatness, the repetition. But there’s also something so human in their expressions, even obscured. It's like he's trying to breathe life into these ancient forms. Curator: Exactly. Sargent's genius lies in that tension, tradition versus modernity, the sacred and the human. It’s not just decoration; it's a spiritual quest. Editor: A quest still in progress, it seems. It makes you wonder about the finished work, the choices he ultimately made. Curator: It certainly does. A fascinating glimpse into the creative process, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. A heavenly imperfection, in a way.