Mountain Landscape 1871

Curator: Looking at this pencil sketch, John Singer Sargent captures a Mountain Landscape in just 10.3 x 17.2 cm. The work is held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so immediate and raw. The mountains seem to loom with a kind of sublime power, but also fragility, rendered in these delicate lines. Curator: Absolutely. The materiality speaks volumes; a simple pencil on paper creating this grand vista. I wonder about the accessibility of materials, and the economics of art production during his time. Editor: I agree. It speaks to Sargent's positionality as an artist moving through elite social circles, but also highlights his engagement with landscape and nature—how might we interpret this landscape through the lens of colonialism and land use? Curator: That’s interesting. Consider the labor involved in extracting the graphite for the pencil itself and the paper it’s drawn on. Editor: It's a powerful reminder to look beyond the surface and consider the complex narratives embedded within even the simplest sketches. Curator: Indeed, it’s a glimpse into the artist's process and the global network that makes even a quick sketch possible. Editor: A sketch that prompts us to consider the intersection of art, environment, and social justice.