Hand of Baruch for "Jeremiah Dictating...;" verso: Knee and Calf 1811 - 1812

Curator: This drawing, housed at the Harvard Art Museums, is titled "Hand of Baruch for 'Jeremiah Dictating...; verso: Knee and Calf'," by Washington Allston. Editor: The scale is striking; the hand feels monumental, rendered with such delicate graphite. It almost looks like a study for a sculpture. Curator: Allston, born in 1779, was deeply engaged with the history of artistic production and reproduction. This drawing reflects that. Editor: Absolutely. You see the labor, the deliberate strokes, the materiality of the paper itself. It speaks to the process of creation. It makes me wonder what kind of writing instrument he used. Curator: Allston's interest in Old Masters and historical narratives certainly influenced his choice to depict Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe. The act of dictation becomes a powerful symbol. Editor: I agree. Focusing on the hand transforms it from a mere appendage into an instrument of historical record. Curator: It's a testament to the power held within the artist’s grasp, as much as it is a study for a larger work. Editor: The drawing, though incomplete, reminds us how art stems from conscious labor, materials, and context, not just lofty ideas.