Pilaster Capitals and Entablature, University of Genoa 19th-20th century

Editor: So, this is John Singer Sargent's sketch of "Pilaster Capitals and Entablature, University of Genoa." It feels like a quick impression, almost dreamlike. What catches your eye about it? Curator: Well, the immediacy, first. It’s like catching Sargent in the act of falling in love with the architecture. He’s simplifying these classical forms, the scrolls and moldings, isn’t he, making them almost dance on the page. You can almost feel the sun-baked Genovese air around it, can't you? Editor: It’s amazing how much he suggests with so few lines! Curator: Exactly! And notice how he uses the shading to hint at the weight and depth of the stone. It's not just a record; it's a feeling. Editor: That's true. I'll definitely be thinking about that next time I see a building! Curator: Wonderful! And I'll be trying to capture that feeling in my own sketches.