Sketch 1963

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis's "Sketch," a compact piece measuring about 15 by 10 centimeters, held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? It's a jazz solo on paper! Sparse, bold, and somehow, utterly confident in its incompleteness. Curator: Exactly! Davis was deeply inspired by jazz, and you see that syncopation here—the unexpected angles, the interplay of line and void. Notice how the thick, almost clumsy lines create a sense of dynamic energy. Editor: It's like he's capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of a moment. I wonder what "MW" stands for on the upper-left? I'm drawn to the balance in the composition. Curator: Perhaps a personal reference. It is a sketch, after all—a fleeting thought captured. It reminds us that even the simplest marks can carry immense power and expressiveness. Editor: It certainly does. A tiny window into a world of rhythm and form!