Two Angels; Group of Three Angels' Heads, for "Jacob's Dream" c. 1817

Curator: This is Washington Allston's "Two Angels; Group of Three Angels' Heads, for 'Jacob's Dream.'" Editor: My first impression is ethereal, the lines so delicate they appear almost to float on the paper. The process must have demanded great skill. Curator: Indeed. Allston employed line to create volume and movement. Notice the drapery, how it defines the angels’ forms. Editor: And the paper itself, its texture adding to the sense of antiquity. One wonders about the specific tools Allston used. Was it a quill, or perhaps a metalpoint? The materiality informs the subject. Curator: Perhaps, but consider the formal arrangement. The angels' placement creates balance, drawing the eye upward, evoking divine ascent. Editor: Fair enough, but let’s not forget the human element, the labor involved in its creation. Curator: A worthy consideration. Allston's vision remains compelling regardless. Editor: And the drawing process itself becomes a form of meditation.