Study of Perseus for Perseus on Pegasus Slaying Medusa c. 1921 - 1925

This is a preparatory pencil drawing by John Singer Sargent, a study for his painting of Perseus on Pegasus Slaying Medusa. You know, when I look at the confident line work here, I think, wow, Sargent really knew his stuff. But I also see the searching, the way he’s working out the pose, the weight of the figure, that hand hanging down, so relaxed but also full of potential energy. I bet he worked from a live model to get this right. He captures the fall of light on the muscles, the way the body twists and turns, all with such economy. I see this as part of a long conversation artists have been having for centuries, all the way back to ancient Greek sculpture. And, you know, even though Sargent was working within a tradition, he was also pushing it forward, finding his own way of seeing and representing the human form. Like, how do you make a God look casual?