Figure Studies after Canaletto 1871

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "Figure Studies after Canaletto," a small pencil sketch at the Harvard Art Museums. It's captivating how quickly Sargent captures these figures in costume. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Notice the canes and hats - symbols of authority and status, echoing through centuries of portraiture. Canaletto, known for his precise cityscapes, often included such figures. Sargent then studies Canaletto. It's a layering of visual memory. What is Sargent retaining, and what is he omitting? Editor: So, it's like a visual conversation across time, with Sargent picking up and re-voicing certain symbols? Curator: Precisely. It speaks to the enduring power of certain images and their capacity to evoke particular social meanings across generations. This resonates today!