Boy Asleep by Candle n.d.

Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the intimacy of this sketch, all whisps of ink and chalky paper. Editor: We're looking at "Boy Asleep by Candle," a drawing of uncertain date and authorship held here at the Art Institute of Chicago. It employs pen, ink, and chalk on paper. I see it less as an exercise in observation, and more of an intimate encounter. Curator: Yes! Intimate is absolutely the word. The sleeping child almost seems to press outward, existing close to the surface of the paper. And that candle feels less like illumination and more like witness, doesn’t it? Like, *psst*, let's not wake him. Editor: Candlelight is of course often used to symbolize knowledge, fleeting insight, and spiritual illumination, but as a child’s night light? We also recognize a very domestic tranquility here. Think about the historical significance of candle usage; we consider artificial lighting today to be ubiquitous, but previously the cost would have been considerable. Curator: That's a beautifully cold way of looking at coziness. All of this brings to mind a very familiar kind of slumber – one weighted with unfulfilled potential, sweet dreams maybe laced with some real heavy future-think, the cusp of being and unbecoming. I sense something melancholic in this young, beautiful profile. What future waits this sleeping boy? Editor: And speaking to potential futures, think about the quick, expressive marks here; in this period the sketch allowed for exploration and improvisation outside the confines of commissioned portraits. It’s thought that the child featured here may have even grown into a major figure – or equally just a local legend – so we look at this face, this briefest impression and allow for the idea of destiny to be reflected back to us. Curator: See, I told you, weighted. Anyway, what a poignant piece. What a dream. Editor: Absolutely; consider then how this sleeping boy remains an enigma for us; his likeness caught for just an instant on paper so that he can speak across generations and give pause for thought even now.