Sketch of a Mill 1861

Editor: This is Sanford Robinson Gifford's "Sketch of a Mill" from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a simple pencil drawing, but the lines give it a structural feel. What elements stand out to you? Curator: The essence of the work resides in its formal arrangement. Note how Gifford employs a rigorous economy of line. The stark angularity of the roofline contrasts markedly with the circular form of the waterwheel. Editor: So it's about the balance between those shapes? Curator: Precisely. This interplay—between rectilinear and curvilinear, lightness and implied mass—reveals a sophisticated manipulation of space and form. The composition itself, while seemingly spare, invites closer scrutiny of its internal relationships. Editor: I see the tension now. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Indeed, noticing such compositional techniques can be quite rewarding.