Sketch of a Funeral or Procession II 19th-20th century

Curator: We're looking at William Valentine Schevill's "Sketch of a Funeral or Procession II," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The scene has an undeniably somber air. The artist's quick, smudged lines evoke a sense of collective grief and public mourning. Curator: Funerals, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, were highly ritualized public events. Think of the social theater of loss, how gender and class shaped participation and mourning. Editor: Yes, but consider the work formally: See how the diagonal strokes emphasize the figures' downward gaze. This creates a visual weight that mirrors the heaviness of grief. Curator: The procession itself speaks to community bonds and shared experiences, but also to the power structures that dictate who is mourned and how. Editor: A keen observation. For me, the composition highlights a more universal experience. Schevill captures the human form reduced to elemental lines expressing somber reflection. Curator: Ultimately, art invites our empathy. Schevill's sketch is a potent reminder of our shared mortality. Editor: Indeed. It's a minimalist depiction of a monumental theme.