Partial Study of a Wing; verso: Study of a Wing c. 1890 - 1916

Curator: Here, from the Harvard Art Museums, is John Singer Sargent's "Partial Study of a Wing; verso: Study of a Wing," a small drawing. Editor: It feels so immediate! Like a fleeting thought captured in pencil. Curator: Indeed. Sargent was known for his confident brushstrokes, but here we see the foundation of his practice— the raw energy of observation. It's just graphite on paper. Editor: And that paper looks aged, like a well-loved notebook page, perhaps even recycled. I wonder about the provenance— where did he source his materials? Curator: A fair question. What captivates me is how he manages to convey such delicate form with such simple means. It's as if he's not just drawing a wing, but capturing the very idea of flight, so ephemeral. Editor: You're right, it hints at a larger narrative, perhaps a discarded study for a grander project. It makes me appreciate the labor and material context of even the most seemingly effortless masterpieces. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to consider the journey of a wing, and indeed of art itself, from the initial sketch to the final flight. Editor: A glimpse into the studio, quite literally. An intimate peek into the artistic process.