Sketchbook page c. 1776

Editor: This is a quick sketch on a sketchbook page by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a crowd watching some kind of performance. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This sketch offers a glimpse into the social theater of 18th-century France. Who are these spectators, and what does their presence signify? Notice how the artist’s hand captures the dynamism of the scene with just a few strokes, yet what social structures are hinted at but unseen? Editor: It's interesting to think about what's not shown, not just what is. Curator: Exactly. The drawing becomes a starting point to investigate the unspoken rules and hierarchies that governed these spaces and lives. The blank space is just as important. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It’s important to acknowledge that art is always in conversation with its time.