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

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!