[title not known] 

Curator: Here we have an intriguing drawing by John Flaxman, dating back to the late 18th or early 19th century. It's held at the Tate, and it's a compact study in ink on paper, showing several figures in dynamic poses. Editor: It's so raw. There’s a vitality in these sketches; they feel like stolen moments, thoughts caught on paper. The tear in the upper part almost adds to the urgency. Curator: Absolutely, it displays Flaxman's facility with line, capturing anatomical form with such economy. Look at the economy of the torso on the right. And the way he suggests depth with simple hatching. Editor: It's this tension between finished form and unfinished thought. The lack of facial features focuses us on the body, making us consider the potential narratives in their forms. Are they struggling? Resting? Curator: Flaxman, of course, was deeply influenced by classical sculpture. He sought to distil the essence of form and expression, and here the emotional registers are palpable. Editor: I am left with a feeling that these figures still have a story to tell, but the fragments only lead to more mystery. Curator: Exactly, it’s this incompleteness that gives the drawing its enduring power, leaving it open to interpretation.