Henry, Viscount Lascelles 1925

John Singer Sargent made this charcoal portrait of Henry, Viscount Lascelles in 1923, and looking at it, I think about the dance between control and chance in artmaking. See how Sargent uses these really soft, smudgy charcoal marks, especially in the background? It’s like he’s letting the material do some of the work, allowing for a certain looseness. Then, he tightens up the details around Lascelles' face, giving us these crisp lines that define his features. It’s a study in contrasts, a balance between precision and suggestion. The texture of the charcoal gives the piece a tactile quality, almost like you could reach out and feel the grain of the paper. And that scribble across the top? Is that his signature? Or an accidental mark? Either way, it's honest. For me, that’s where the magic happens – in the little imperfections. It feels very connected to his other work, like his fluid watercolors. I always think of art as this ongoing conversation, full of questions rather than answers.