Album Leaf with Drawing; verso: Album Leaf with Two Drawings 19th-20th century

Curator: Here we have "Album Leaf with Drawing; verso: Album Leaf with Two Drawings" by John Singer Sargent, an intriguing sheet housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My initial reaction is toward the obsessive, almost meditative quality in these repeating geometric patterns. Curator: Indeed. It speaks to the labor and process behind design. We see the meticulous handwork, the drafting, the construction of these patterns. Editor: The grid visible beneath one of the designs provides such a stark insight into Sargent's structural approach, and the inherent formalism in decorative art. Curator: Perhaps Sargent was examining the intersection of high art and craft, challenging the very definition of artmaking through meticulous design work. Editor: Ultimately, the strength of the composition lies in its repetition, and its testament to the beauty in pure visual logic. Curator: Yes, and it emphasizes that materiality and process are worth examining. Editor: I agree. It’s a piece that reveals a hidden side of Sargent, a beautiful glimpse into his design-thinking process.