Study for "Ship in a Squall" c. 1830s

Editor: This is Washington Allston’s "Study for 'Ship in a Squall'". It's a small pencil sketch, only about 4x3 inches. There's an undeniable sense of drama in such a tiny drawing. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a wisp of a thing, isn’t it? A fugitive impression. I imagine Allston chasing the sublime right there on the page. Those nervous lines suggest not just a ship, but the sheer terror, and thrill, of being at the mercy of nature's whims. Does it make you feel small? Editor: Definitely small. And maybe a little seasick! I hadn't thought about the thrill though... Curator: Perhaps that's the key, the awful beauty that keeps us staring into the storm. Allston hints at that paradox beautifully, don't you think?