Study of Knee and Drapery for Seated Angel at Right, "Israel and the Law," Boston Public Library by John Singer Sargent

Study of Knee and Drapery for Seated Angel at Right, "Israel and the Law," Boston Public Library 1895 - 1916

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Dimensions: 45.2 x 61.2 cm (17 13/16 x 24 1/8 in.)

Copyright: CC0 1.0

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent's "Study of Knee and Drapery for Seated Angel at Right, 'Israel and the Law,' Boston Public Library." It's a charcoal drawing, and the folds of the fabric seem to almost obscure the figure beneath. What's your take on this study? Curator: It's a whirlwind of drapery, isn't it? Almost a visual puzzle. I see Sargent grappling with form, wrestling with how light and shadow can breathe life into mere cloth. The "angel" connection is interesting. Does it evoke something ethereal for you? Editor: I think the darkness of the charcoal makes it feel almost weighty, like the opposite of ethereal. Curator: Ah, a grounded angel! I love that reading. Perhaps it’s Sargent’s way of reminding us that even celestial beings are bound by earthly constraints, the very fabric of existence. What a thought, eh? Editor: It does give me a lot to think about, thank you!

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