[title not known] 

Curator: Here we have a page from a sketchbook by John Flaxman, held within the Tate Collections. Flaxman, born in 1755, was an influential figure in the Neoclassical movement. Editor: It feels ghostly, like a memory barely sketched before it vanishes. The reclining figure, and a lyre, hint at classical ideals, but there's a melancholy to the unfinished lines. Curator: Flaxman’s style was deeply influenced by classical antiquity, and that comes through strongly here. His work often critiqued contemporary social and political events by representing his reformist viewpoint. Editor: I imagine him quickly capturing an idea, a fleeting moment of inspiration, then moving on. It makes you wonder what grander vision he had. The blank box could be a space for anything. Curator: His legacy is complex. While celebrated for his purity of line, Flaxman was later criticized for his association with the establishment. Editor: Even with just a few strokes, he evokes this sense of timeless beauty, like a forgotten song. It makes you want to fill in the blanks, to complete the picture in your own mind.