Study for Daniel's Robe, for "Belshazzar's Feast"; verso: Woman Reading a Book 1817

Editor: This is Washington Allston's "Study for Daniel's Robe, for 'Belshazzar's Feast,'" a drawing at the Harvard Art Museums. The draping of the robe has an almost sculptural quality. What do you see in the composition of this study? Curator: The interplay of light and shadow is striking, isn't it? Note how Allston uses chiaroscuro to model the fabric, creating a sense of volume and depth. The figure itself is secondary, almost an armature. Editor: So the focus is primarily on the fabric's form, rather than narrative? Curator: Precisely. The robe's folds and creases become the subject, explored for their own sake. This isolates the visual elements of the robe, preparing it for a larger composition. Editor: I see now. Focusing on these elements helps in understanding the bigger picture. Curator: Indeed, it reveals the artist's process of dissecting and reconstructing form.