Figure with Arms Raised for "Spanish Dance;" verso: Isolde and Brangäne, from "Tristan and Isolde" c. 1879 - 1880

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's sketch, "Figure with Arms Raised for 'Spanish Dance,'" along with a study for "Tristan and Isolde" on the back. It feels so immediate. What can you tell me about his process here? Curator: Consider the materiality of the work: paper, graphite. Sargent, known for society portraits, here uses humble materials to explore the labor and performativity of dance and opera. How does this contrast impact your understanding of "high art" versus "craft"? Editor: It makes me think about all the work that goes into performance, hidden behind the glamour. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! It highlights how even preliminary sketches can reveal the economic and social underpinnings of artistic creation.