[title not known] 

Editor: This is a sketch by John Flaxman, currently untitled, from the Tate Collections. The page features four delicate drawings of what appear to be sculpted busts on pedestals. They almost float on the page. What do you notice about the composition? Curator: I am immediately drawn to the interplay of line and form. Observe how Flaxman uses the barest suggestion of line to create volume and depth. Consider, too, the placement of each sketch; the negative space surrounding them is as crucial as the marks themselves. What relationship do you observe between the figures and the ground? Editor: That's interesting. The ground seems almost non-existent; they are very much studies of form alone. It does encourage a focus on the sculpted figures themselves, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely. Flaxman’s reduction to essential lines highlights the inherent structure. It strips away extraneous detail, leaving us with pure, distilled form. This allows one to engage with the underlying geometry and proportion. Editor: It's amazing how much information he conveys with so few lines. Thank you for pointing out the relationship between form and line! Curator: My pleasure; I learned from you as well.