Sketchbook page c. 1776

Curator: This sketchbook page by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin presents two studies of a woman's head, rendered in delicate strokes of pencil and sanguine. Editor: It feels so fleeting, like catching a glimpse of someone elegant out of the corner of your eye. The looseness gives it a dreamlike quality. Curator: The composition, with its superposition of profiles, creates a dynamic tension between observation and invention. Note the economy of line. Editor: True! It's like he's chasing the perfect form, those curls especially. There's something almost restless in the way the sketches overlap. Curator: Indeed, it's a study, not a finished work. The sanguine adds a warmth, drawing our eye to the upper figure. Editor: The colour gives her a sort of immediate presence. It's amazing how much character he captures with so little. Curator: A testament to Saint-Aubin's mastery of capturing the human form with minimal means. Editor: Makes me want to grab my own sketchbook and try to capture that same fleeting elegance.