Study of Torso and Leg for one of Angels at Right, "Israel and the Law," Boston Public Library 1895 - 1916

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent’s sketch, “Study of Torso and Leg for one of Angels at Right, "Israel and the Law," Boston Public Library,” housed at the Harvard Art Museums. I notice a raw, powerful energy in this preparatory drawing. What symbolic weight do you see in Sargent's focus on the angel's physical form? Curator: Sargent uses the angel's body to convey strength and divine purpose. The muscular torso and leg suggest not just physical power, but also the divine authority vested in these figures. How does this departure from traditional, ethereal angel depictions influence your interpretation? Editor: It makes them seem more active, less passively observing. The angel becomes a symbol of divine intervention. Curator: Precisely. The study reveals how Sargent uses the human form to imbue his angels with a sense of active participation in the divine narrative. Editor: Seeing the angel like this really highlights the blend of the sacred and the human.