Two Studies for Orpheus, for "Orpheus and Eurydice" 1916 - 1925

Curator: Here we have John Singer Sargent’s “Two Studies for Orpheus, for ‘Orpheus and Eurydice.’” Editor: My first thought? Raw vulnerability. The unfinished lines, the exposed figure—it's all so immediate. Curator: Absolutely. It's fascinating to consider these studies within the context of the Orpheus myth, this descent into the underworld, reflecting the emotional and physical exposure inherent in confronting loss. Editor: It hits you right in the gut, doesn’t it? The sketchiness almost amplifies the feeling of Orpheus’s precarious journey. Are we seeing him reaching, pleading? Curator: Yes, or perhaps warding something off. Sargent's male nudes are always so complicated. Editor: It's interesting how a simple drawing can convey so much depth about the human condition. Curator: Sargent’s sketches remind us that art can be found in the process of discovery.