The Choir Master; verso: blank page 1805 - 1806

Curator: This is Jacques-Louis David's "The Choir Master," a pencil drawing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has a quiet, almost reverent quality. The figure seems lost in thought. Curator: David, known for his Neoclassical paintings, often used preparatory sketches like this to work out compositions. We see him here, exploring the visual weight of religious authority. Editor: The choir master’s robes are rendered so carefully, suggesting a status and identity rooted in tradition. It's hard to ignore the cultural memory embedded in such garments. Curator: Indeed, it speaks volumes about the Church's role and standing in late 18th-century society. The art becomes less about the individual and more about institutions. Editor: The sketch reveals a moment of quiet introspection before performance. I now appreciate the man and the artist more deeply.