Fortune on Wheel, Study for Frick Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania c. 1901 - 1902

Curator: Here we have John La Farge's study, "Fortune on Wheel," created for the Frick Building in Pittsburgh. It measures about 27 by 20 centimeters and is currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so ethereal, like a whispered dream. The delicacy of the pencil lines almost makes Fortune weightless as she floats on that wheel. Curator: The image of Fortune on a wheel is a classical motif, symbolizing the unpredictable nature of fate. La Farge often drew upon historical allegories. Editor: Right! It's a reminder that life is this wild, exhilarating, and terrifying ride where you're always teetering on the edge. Curator: Absolutely. La Farge's commission for the Frick Building reflects the era’s embrace of art as a marker of civic and commercial progress. Editor: I bet even the Robber Barons had their moments of existential dread, clinging to the wheel for dear life! Anyway, that's a beautiful drawing. Curator: Indeed, a poignant reflection on ambition and chance, even amidst industrial power.