Study of a Wolf's Head; verso: Partial Study of an Ox 19th-20th century

Editor: This is John Singer Sargent's "Study of a Wolf's Head," a small pencil drawing. It feels so immediate and raw. What strikes you about it? Curator: The wolf, often a symbol of wilderness and untamed nature, becomes a subject of academic study. What does it mean to dissect and categorize an animal whose very essence lies in its freedom? This echoes the larger colonial impulse to dissect and categorize entire cultures. Editor: So you see a connection between the act of studying the wolf and broader power dynamics? Curator: Precisely. And consider the verso, the ox. This duality perhaps highlights the contrasting roles animals play, wild versus domesticated. Editor: I never considered it that way. It gives me a lot to think about regarding representation and control. Curator: Indeed. Art invites us to question these complex relationships, urging us to interrogate our assumptions about the world.