Study for ‘Under the Trees’ c. 1956 - 1957

Editor: This is William Roberts's "Study for ‘Under the Trees’". It’s undated, and it’s a pencil drawing. The figures look quite stylized, almost blocky. What do you see in the way Roberts uses form in this study? Curator: The grid overlaid on the sketch emphasizes the artist's process of structuring the composition. Notice how Roberts simplifies human forms into near-geometric shapes, focusing on the interplay of lines and volumes. The embrace becomes less about emotion and more about spatial arrangement. Editor: So, it's like he’s building a puzzle, figuring out how the shapes fit together? Curator: Precisely. It's an exercise in formal construction, prioritizing the relationship between forms and the overall design. The trees too are reduced to essential shapes. It allows the viewer to appreciate the abstract qualities of the work. Editor: That’s a different way to consider the drawing. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, a focus on form can reveal structural and compositional choices we might otherwise miss.