Study of Tree Trunk 1871

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent's "Study of a Tree Trunk," a beautiful drawing at the Harvard Art Museums. The starkness of it is really striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm struck by what it omits. Sargent, known for portraits of the elite, here focuses on the mundane. A discarded tree trunk. How does this shift of subject matter reflect broader artistic movements or societal concerns of the time? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn’t considered it in relation to his other work. Curator: Consider the rise of Realism, and how the image might reflect the value of finding beauty in the everyday, almost a democratisation of subject matter. What does it say about the changing patronage of art? Editor: I see it now. It challenges the status quo. Curator: Precisely. Sargent’s choice becomes a commentary on what is deemed worthy of artistic representation. Editor: Fascinating to think about the societal implications within a seemingly simple drawing.