Architectural Decoration c. 1890 - 1922

Curator: This is "Architectural Decoration," a drawing by John Singer Sargent, housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: There's an unfinished quality to it, almost ghostly. I'm drawn to the skeletal structure he's captured, the bare bones of ornamentation. Curator: Sargent, known for his society portraits, clearly had a keen understanding of architectural forms. We must think of the socio-economic implications behind the construction of these buildings. This drawing hints at the labor involved in shaping such spaces. Editor: Precisely. The drawing itself, the graphite on paper, is a record of intellectual and manual labor. How does this preparation translate into the built environment and then into the lived experience of those who inhabit those spaces? Curator: It encourages us to examine the relationship between the elite who commissioned these structures and the workforce responsible for their creation. Sargent gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. Editor: It's a powerful reminder that even the most seemingly decorative elements are rooted in concrete processes and, ultimately, social relations. Curator: Indeed. A fascinating insight into the social underpinnings of architectural design, and artistic creation. Editor: Absolutely. Sargent’s sketch reveals just how much a simple draft can uncover about production.