Trucks [recto] 1918

John Singer Sargent made this pencil sketch of trucks on paper, sometime in the early 20th century. Pencil is a humble material, yet capable of great subtlety and nuance. It allows an artist to quickly capture form and light, as we see here in the varying densities of shading. Notice how Sargent used a range of values to define the trucks' shapes and suggest their metallic surfaces. The marks follow the forms, giving the impression of three-dimensionality. This wasn't just a study of vehicles; it was an exploration of how mass-produced objects are integrated into the landscape. The trucks, symbols of industry and commerce, are rendered with the same care one might give a portrait. Sargent treats these working vehicles with the same attention to detail as his society portraits. In doing so, he elevates the everyday, prompting us to consider the beauty and complexity inherent in the manufactured world. It blurs the lines between high art and the more quotidian aspects of material culture.