Sketchbook page c. 1776

Curator: This is a sketchbook page by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It captures a quick impression in pencil. Editor: It feels incredibly light, almost ephemeral, doesn't it? Like a fleeting thought jotted down. Curator: Exactly. Saint-Aubin was known for his spontaneous records of Parisian life. You see here a public square, perhaps even a festival or celebration. Editor: There's a real sense of movement with the figures and the fountain, though so much is left to our imagination. Was Saint-Aubin interested in public art? Curator: Very much so. He meticulously documented exhibitions and architectural projects. He saw art as integral to the civic sphere. Editor: It's fascinating how such a light sketch can reveal so much about how art and society intertwine. I feel like he wanted to capture the moment. Curator: Absolutely. And it makes you wonder what was happening there that day, and the kind of social commentary he was making. Editor: It makes me want to grab my sketchbook and do the same, documenting the fleeting moments.