Sketches of Goats n.d.

Editor: Here we have "Sketches of Goats," an undated charcoal and chalk drawing on paper by Johann Gottlieb Hackert. It’s at the Art Institute of Chicago. It feels like a really academic study of animal form. What stands out to you? Curator: Note the texture created by the charcoal. Hackert utilizes a layering of lines and smudging to achieve volume and depth. The contrasts, subtle in their execution, define musculature and fur. Editor: The lines do give them a furry, three-dimensional look, despite being a quick sketch. So you focus on the material elements, as opposed to... the goats themselves? Curator: Precisely. While figuration is present, its narrative purpose is secondary. Observe the formal arrangement: each goat occupies a unique spatial position, yet they coexist within the unified picture plane. Do you see how the varying orientations offer a balanced visual experience? Editor: I guess so, I was focused on the individual goats. Are the variations in charcoal darkness intentional? Curator: Indeed. Light and shadow articulate form. Notice the strategic use of chiaroscuro to define the goats' anatomy, specifically around the horns and legs. This imbues each animal with a distinct presence. Editor: Okay, I am definitely noticing that each goat, even though similar in posture and medium, is differentiated and contributes something unique to the whole. Thank you. Curator: And I hope you also notice the artist’s control and the intentional arrangements of shapes and textures, all which combine into an intentional image, one of artistic decisions rather than a mimetic act.