Sketchbook page c. 1776

Editor: This is a sketchbook page by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin, held at the Harvard Art Museums. The graphite is so delicate, it almost feels like I'm peering into a fleeting memory. What do you make of this intimate scene? Curator: It's like catching a glimpse of a dream, isn't it? Saint-Aubin had this remarkable ability to capture the spirit of a place, of a moment. I wonder, does the tent-like structure suggest a fair or perhaps a theatrical performance? The way the figures are arranged, some engaged, others seemingly lost in thought… Editor: Yes! They are either watching something, or maybe nothing. Curator: Exactly! The beauty is in that ambiguity. The sketch invites us to project our own stories onto it, to imagine the sounds, the smells, the atmosphere of the scene. It’s a testament to Saint-Aubin's skill that he can evoke so much with so little. Editor: That's a great point. It feels like more than just a sketch; it's an invitation. Thanks!