Studies for an "Egyptianizing" Fountain and Monument; Urn c. 18th century

Editor: So, this is Jean-Honoré Fragonard's "Studies for an 'Egyptianizing' Fountain and Monument; Urn." It's a pencil drawing. I find it so airy and imaginative! What do you make of Fragonard's Egyptian fantasies? Curator: Airiness is key. It's Fragonard flirting with an aesthetic craze—Egyptomania! He’s not aiming for historical accuracy but dreaming in pencil. Notice how those sphinx-like figures feel more decorative than imposing, almost playful. Makes you wonder, doesn't it, if he ever intended these to be more than just doodles? Editor: Doodles of monumental fountains—I love it! I guess it shows that even grand ideas can start as simple sketches. Curator: Exactly! And isn't there a joy in seeing a master's uninhibited creative flow, before it settles into something grand?