Sky Sketch (from Sketchbook VII) 1886

This is a pencil sketch by William Trost Richards, part of his Sketchbook VII, now held at the Metropolitan Museum. Here, parallel lines suggest the sky. Think of the recurring symbol of the sky as a metaphor for change, transition, and the passage of time. Clouds gather, storms brew, and then dissipate, replaced by clear skies. The sky as a representation of constant movement, of the ephemeral nature of our existence, appears in art across cultures. Consider the work of John Constable, who dedicated much of his practice to sketching clouds. In psychological terms, the sky may represent the collective unconscious. It is a boundless space where our dreams and fears take flight. It is a screen onto which we project our innermost desires and anxieties. The sky and its rendering in art evoke a powerful emotional resonance, stirring feelings of awe, hope, or even foreboding. Richards' sketch engages us with this ever-changing aspect of the natural world.