Hortense de Beauharnais, the Princess Louis, Holding the Hand of Her Son, Prince Napoleon-Charles; verso: Faint Sketch of a Head 1805 - 1806

Editor: Here we have Jacques-Louis David's sketch of Hortense de Beauharnais and her son. It's fascinating to see the grid lines used in the composition. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: The grid, precisely. It reveals David's meticulous approach to proportion and spatial organization. Notice how the figures align with the grid's structure, emphasizing a deliberate compositional strategy. Editor: So, the grid isn't just a preliminary guide? Curator: Indeed. It becomes integral to the artwork's formal language, highlighting the artist's intention to impose order and rationality onto the subject matter. Editor: I see it now; it's like a framework for understanding the artist's process. Curator: Precisely.