Study of Two Boats under Sail (from Sketchbook X) 1885

Editor: This is William Trost Richards' "Study of Two Boats under Sail," a pencil drawing from 1885 currently at the Met. It feels almost ghostly, these lightly rendered boats adrift on a sea of white paper. What can you tell us about this drawing? Curator: Well, considering the time, the late 19th century, we see marine subjects gaining immense popularity, partly fueled by industrialization and leisure. Think of the burgeoning coastal resorts. But Richards was also working at a time of expanding global trade and naval power. The sailboats aren’t just pretty scenes, but reminders of larger political and economic forces at play. What do you make of that vast, almost empty space around them? Editor: It emphasizes their isolation. Almost like they’re suspended in time, detached from a specific context. Curator: Precisely! The lack of a defined horizon detaches the vessels, removing clear context to invite reflection. Perhaps Richards uses their placid state to portray the world’s relationship to the West's industrial complex: The quiet before something very disruptive and anything but peaceful. Richards created art for public consumption, catering to popular taste, but do you think he’s perhaps hinting at the underside of that era’s progress? Editor: It makes you wonder what stories these particular boats could tell! They appear serene, yet the bigger picture could be complex, to say the least. Curator: It prompts questions about our own present too, doesn’t it? What stories will future generations tell about our own vessels and their place in the world? Editor: I never considered pencil strokes could contain such socio-political depth! Curator: Indeed, even simple sketches can reveal a lot about the politics of their time and offer valuable reflections on the world then and now.