Sketches of Gorillas and Head; verso: Sketches of Lions, Birds, and Cats 1889

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "Sketches of Gorillas and Head," from around the turn of the century, pencil on paper. The quickly rendered forms give it a real sense of immediacy. What do you see in the work? Curator: I'm struck by the material evidence of Sargent’s process. The paper itself, the graphite marks—these reveal his labor. How do these sketches challenge our ideas about Sargent's portraiture and its value within the art market? Editor: That's a good point. It is interesting to consider how sketches like these relate to his larger, more polished works. I didn't think about the value of the sketches in relation to his other works. Curator: Exactly. It shifts our focus from the finished product to the act of making itself, and the value society places on different types of artistic labor.