Study for "Atlas and the Hesperides," Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (?) 1918

Editor: Here we have John Singer Sargent's sketch, "Study for 'Atlas and the Hesperides'." It's a pencil drawing, and the figure is really striking. What do you see in this composition? Curator: The artist’s focus is clearly on the modulation of form through line. Note how Sargent utilizes hatching and cross-hatching to define the figure’s contours and create a sense of volume. Observe where the density of line is greatest. What does this suggest to you? Editor: I see darker lines in the torso and upper arm, maybe those are the focal points? Curator: Precisely. The strategic placement of these darker areas draws the viewer's eye, while the relative lightness elsewhere allows for a sense of depth and dynamism. It’s an exquisite study in how line alone can evoke three-dimensionality. Editor: That's fascinating. I'll definitely look at drawings differently now.