Sketch 1956

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis’s "Sketch" from the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small work, just eight by five inches. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by its sparseness. Like a minimalist stage set, promising a play that never starts. Curator: Davis, who was born in 1892, was deeply engaged with cubism and abstraction. Consider how these lines, these almost architectural forms, might reflect his engagement with urban landscapes. Editor: Perhaps it’s a window, or a cage? It feels confining, doesn't it? Despite its simplicity, I feel a sense of… longing? Curator: It’s interesting you say that, given Davis's commitment to representing the dynamism of modern life. Maybe that tension is part of the drawing's power. Editor: Absolutely. It makes me wonder about all the stories those lines are holding back.