Tripoli, 1904 (from Sketchbook) 1904

Mary Newbold Sargent sketched Tripoli in 1904, using graphite on paper. The marks feel tentative, like she's feeling her way through the scene, block by block. The graphite is applied in short, energetic strokes, with varying pressure to create a sense of depth and shadow, and these tonal contrasts almost give it the feeling of a woodblock print. I like how she focuses on the geometric forms of the buildings, reducing them to simple shapes, emphasizing the play of light and shadow across their surfaces, the texture of the buildings are almost tactile. Look at the upper right, how the strokes of graphite almost become a solid black mass; in contrast, the buildings on the left appear to be almost dissolving. There’s an intimacy to this work that reminds me of the architectural sketches of Agnes Martin, though of course Martin came later. Like Martin, Sargent invites us to contemplate the simple beauty of form and line. Sargent’s work shows us that art is an ongoing conversation across time. What do you think?