Woman at Market; verso: Figure Sketches; Diagram 1872

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's pencil sketch, "Woman at Market." It’s a quick study of women selling goods. What do you make of it? Curator: It offers a glimpse into the lives of working-class women, likely in Europe. How does Sargent's sketch reinforce or challenge existing notions about women's roles in society at the time? Editor: It feels very observational, almost detached. Does that relate to the politics of representation? Curator: Exactly. Sargent, as an American expatriate, occupied a unique position observing European society. This distance is reflected in the sketch's somewhat clinical depiction. It invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in looking. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about, especially considering who gets represented and how.