Sketches for Faust and Dante and Virgil; verso: Sketches for Faust c. 1821

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums hold this intriguing sketch by Eugène Delacroix, titled Sketches for Faust and Dante and Virgil. Editor: It feels like peering into Delacroix's mind—a jumble of figures, some barely formed, others more defined. The overall effect is quite dreamlike. Curator: Indeed. Delacroix, deeply inspired by literary giants, uses these sketches to explore visual interpretations of Goethe's Faust and Dante's Inferno. Consider how the very act of sketching, of capturing fleeting impressions, mirrors the ephemeral nature of dreams and visions. Editor: Notice the contrast. Some figures appear classical, almost statuesque, while others seem to writhe in torment. Could these reflect the different realms of the divine and the damned that preoccupied Delacroix? Curator: Precisely! These sketches offer insight into Delacroix's visual vocabulary. They draw upon cultural symbols and tropes, translating complex psychological and moral landscapes onto paper. Editor: It reminds us that even the grandest artistic visions often begin as tentative explorations, captured in moments of fleeting inspiration. Curator: A visual testament to the power of literature, culture, and imagination. Editor: A fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of the artistic process.