The Sisters c. 1816 - 1817

Curator: Washington Allston painted this work, titled *The Sisters*. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m struck by how the two figures appear frozen in this intimate tableau. Editor: The woman in the foreground looks straight out at us with an intensity, almost a challenge, while the other seems to gaze out the window in silent reflection. It feels like a moment of both connection and profound loneliness. Curator: Allston was fascinated by the contrast between inner life and outward appearance. The woman looking out the window almost seems to be gazing at another painting. This theme—a painting within a painting—underscores the idea of multiple realities. Editor: Yes, it also echoes themes of voyeurism and self-awareness. The woman's averted gaze is common in painting. But here, this symbol reads as a very modern gesture. It is as if she is consciously refusing to be a spectacle. Curator: I'd not considered that angle before. Allston’s painting definitely invites multiple readings. I always find something new to see in their enigmatic expressions. Editor: Absolutely. The symbols and gestures within paintings reveal as much about the viewer as the subjects, which is something I find endlessly fascinating.