Capilla Real Entablature, Granada 1912

John Singer Sargent made this drawing of the Capilla Real Entablature in Granada with graphite on paper. The paleness of the graphite gives the drawing an airy feel, like a memory fading into the paper. It’s a study in light and shadow, where the stark white of the paper becomes just as important as the lines themselves. Check out the area on the lower left; notice how Sargent suggests depth with just a few strokes. It's all about capturing the essence, not the detail. The lines are so faint they almost disappear, a kind of visual whisper. This kind of mark-making reminds me of Cy Twombly, who also sought to capture the essence of a thing with as few lines as possible. There’s a real sense of movement here too, as though Sargent was trying to quickly capture the building before the light changed. It’s a fleeting moment, preserved on paper. It invites you to slow down and really look.