Sketch of a Seated Woman; verso: Sketch of a Woman 19th-20th century

Curator: This delicate graphite drawing is titled "Sketch of a Seated Woman; verso: Sketch of a Woman" by William Valentine Schevill and is held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's a fragility here. I'm immediately drawn to the vulnerability in her posture; it's evocative of the constrained roles women faced. Curator: Indeed, the composition centers on the figure, utilizing subtle shading to define form and capture the texture of the fabric. Note the artist's attention to line and the way he suggests volume with economical strokes. Editor: I find myself wondering about the artist's gaze, and how it frames the woman's identity—or lack thereof, given her averted face. Curator: The beauty, for me, lies in the simplicity of the means, and the study of form. Editor: And for me, the power lies in how such intimate sketches reveal broader narratives of gender and representation.