Preliminary Sketch for Plate 3 of ‘Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy’ 1828

Curator: John Varley's sketch, a preliminary study for his 'Treatise on Zodiacal Physiognomy,' feels like catching a fleeting thought, doesn’t it? It's like eavesdropping on the artist's mind as he tries to capture a character. Editor: It definitely has an ephemeral quality. The light pencil strokes and handwritten notes give it such an intimate feel. What strikes you most about this sketch? Curator: The vulnerability of the creative process on display. He’s not just drawing a face; he's grappling with ideas about personality and how it's written on our bodies, a dance between science and imagination. It makes me wonder about the stories he saw in people's faces. Editor: It's fascinating how a simple sketch can open up such a rich world of ideas. It makes me want to study faces more closely. Curator: Exactly! Art invites us to find poetry in the everyday.