Study of a Tree 1872

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent's "Study of a Tree," a pencil drawing residing at the Harvard Art Museums. There's a real sense of solitude in this spare depiction. What do you make of this quiet scene? Curator: Quiet indeed! It whispers of Sargent's more private explorations. Think of him escaping the clamor of portrait commissions, finding solace in the sinuous lines of that old tree. Notice how the light catches the branches? Editor: It’s almost like he's captured the tree’s very essence, not just its appearance. Curator: Exactly! Perhaps he saw a reflection of his own resilience in its gnarled form. What do you think Sargent was hoping to capture with this piece? Editor: I never thought of it that way, but that's a fascinating connection.