Study for ‘Triumph of Religion’ c. 1903 - 1916

Here is your audio guide script: John Singer Sargent made this study with pencil to prepare for his ‘Triumph of Religion.’ It's all about process, right? You can see Sargent figuring things out, the composition emerging in layers of graphite. What I love is the materiality of the thing. The paper, its warm tone, contrasted with the cool grays of the pencil strokes. Look closely, and you see how he uses the side of the pencil to build up tone, creating these soft, shadowy areas. Then, sharp, decisive lines define the figures, especially the faces. Check out the drapery around the central figure. Those folds aren’t just about realism; they’re about rhythm, a dance of light and shadow. It reminds me a little of Delacroix’s sketches, that same energy, that same quest for movement. Ultimately, art is a conversation. Sargent was in conversation with the Old Masters and he invites us to join in. There's no one right way to read this drawing. It's an open invitation, not a closed statement.