Studies for Statue of Peter Cooper (1791 - 1888) (recto and verso) 1866

Editor: This is William Rimmer's "Studies for Statue of Peter Cooper," held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a preliminary sketch, really simple and spare. What do you see in it? Curator: The spartan composition draws our attention to Cooper himself. Note how the lines, though few, imbue him with a quiet authority. What symbols did Rimmer employ, consciously or unconsciously, to convey Cooper's legacy? Editor: That's interesting. It makes me consider how a seemingly simple sketch can carry so much symbolic weight. Curator: Exactly. The chair, the posture – they all contribute to the image of a man of substance and reflection. Think of how these symbols echo across other depictions of influential figures. What do you take away from this? Editor: I see how artists use recognizable symbols to communicate deeper meanings about their subjects. Curator: And that a drawing can be so much more than just a sketch.