Sketch of a Dog 1918

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent’s "Sketch of a Dog," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a quick drawing, seemingly capturing a fleeting moment. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a secret language between artist and subject. The dog, rendered with such economy of line, is both present and disappearing. Do you sense the fleeting nature of observation? Editor: Absolutely! The dog seems almost dreamlike. Is this just practice for Sargent? Curator: Perhaps, but even in practice, there's poetry. Sargent isn't just recording; he's whispering. It feels intimate, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I’ll remember to look for the whisper.