Margaret "Daisy" Leiter; verso: Princess Demidoff (Sophie Vorontzoff-Dashkoff)(?); Head c. 1895 - 1898

Curator: Here we have a drawing by John Singer Sargent titled "Margaret 'Daisy' Leiter; verso: Princess Demidoff (Sophie Vorontzoff-Dashkoff)(?); Head." Editor: It's a fleeting, ethereal impression; the pale lines on the paper lend it a ghostlike quality. Curator: Indeed, Sargent was known for capturing the spirit of the Gilded Age elite, and this sketch provides a glimpse into the world of wealthy women like Daisy Leiter. Her family's social ambitions certainly shaped her trajectory. Editor: The sketch itself, with its delicate lines and unfinished quality, feels inherently modern, despite the subject's attire placing her in a specific historical moment. The lack of facial detail is striking. Curator: Perhaps suggesting the constraints placed upon women of that era, their identities often defined by social position rather than individual expression. Her marriage prospects were definitely a hot topic. Editor: I'm more drawn to the pure compositional elements—the elegant curve of the dress, the weightlessness of the lines. Curator: A fascinating dialogue between form and context. Editor: Precisely, and a captivating glimpse into Sargent's creative process.