Study of Jamb Figures from Chartres Cathedral 19th-20th century

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "Study of Jamb Figures from Chartres Cathedral". It's a delicate pencil sketch, and I'm struck by how Sargent captures the weight of these ancient sculptures with such lightness of touch. What do you make of this study? Curator: Sargent, ever the chameleon, channels both reverence and a quiet rebellion, don't you think? He’s not just copying; he’s almost sketching their souls. I imagine him, squinting, feeling the stone's history under his fingertips, then letting his pencil dance across the page. It's a dialogue across time, wouldn't you say? Editor: That's beautifully put! I hadn't considered it as a dialogue. Curator: Exactly! It makes one wonder what those medieval sculptors would think of Sargent's impressionistic take on their work, doesn't it? Editor: Definitely gives me a new appreciation for the piece.