Sketches of Goats 1813 - 1814

Curator: Alright, let’s delve into Théodore Géricault’s “Sketches of Goats,” dating back to 1813-1814. It’s a pencil and graphite drawing on paper, currently residing here at the Art Institute of Chicago. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: The page reads as an informal arrangement of goat life. It's got a scattered, sketchbook energy... A very immediate and tactile visual experience! Curator: Absolutely. The sketch-like quality is central. Notice the different poses and groupings—they show Géricault exploring the anatomy and movement of the animals. It’s all about capturing raw form. Editor: Yes, look how economical the strokes are. There's almost no shading or filling. More of a gestural study that communicates depth by hatching and line weight variation, reminiscent of something he might find in a Delacroix, right? Curator: Indeed, but perhaps more immediate, less refined than Delacroix sometimes gets. You know, Géricault was so obsessed with realism and emotion; maybe this obsession can be seen through how carefully the goats are outlined. They feel solid even when only sketched briefly. I wonder if it was the Romantics, who admired direct and intense studies of nature. Editor: Speaking of directness, consider the composition as a whole. How might this scattering of sketches break the frame that formally orders the work? Curator: Well, Géricault rejects any academic sensibility with that—no traditional framing, no hierarchy of importance. It almost feels like a collection of thoughts rather than a polished, finished piece. What might we speculate Géricault thinks when we see it as an insight into his process. I'm not too certain. What is sure, it definitely offers more than just the surface sketches; it invites us into Géricault's artistic process, that part always remains elusive. Editor: True enough, this piece feels more like an intimate glimpse into the artist's observation than some type of definitive artistic statement on 'Goat-ness'. It really asks us to focus on line, form, and immediacy. Well, it seems Géricault gives us so much to think about! Curator: Couldn’t agree more. An unpretentious yet fascinating peek into the work and thought of Géricault.