[title not known] Verso: Sketches of Individual Figures and Horses’ Heads 

Editor: This sketchy sheet of studies, "Verso: Sketches of Individual Figures and Horses’ Heads," is by John Flaxman. The graphite figures almost seem to float on the page. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: Flaxman was deeply engaged with the political and social reform movements of his time. Consider the era’s emphasis on classical ideals and the elevation of the human form. What kind of statement might Flaxman be trying to make with these seemingly simple sketches? Editor: Perhaps he is seeking a return to simpler times, or making the human form accessible to the masses by sketching it in simple ways? Curator: Exactly. And think about the role of drawing in disseminating knowledge and shaping public opinion during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is quite the statement. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks!