Blank page; verso: Time Clipping Cupid's Wings, after Van Dyck c. 18th century

Curator: Here we see Joshua Reynolds's "Blank page; verso: Time Clipping Cupid's Wings, after Van Dyck," held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a quick graphite sketch. The immediate feeling is one of melancholy, wouldn’t you say? Editor: Absolutely. Time, symbolized by the winged figure, actively diminishes love, represented by Cupid, which reflects anxieties around aging and mortality present in Reynolds's era. Curator: The wings themselves, though sketched, hold that powerful symbolism. Reynolds is engaging with themes of temporality and its impact on idealized beauty. It makes me wonder, was this a reflection on the fleeting nature of fame itself, given his status as a celebrated portraitist? Editor: Possibly. The sketch’s incompleteness adds another layer, mirroring the incomplete nature of memory and the decaying of ideals. Curator: Such a simple composition, yet it sparks so much thought about the era's values and social pressures. Editor: Indeed, it's a poignant reminder of how artists grapple with their cultural moment.