Sketches of Two Tigers; verso: sketches of reindeer c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Antoine Louis Barye’s “Sketches of Two Tigers,” held at the Harvard Art Museums. I find them quite striking despite their sketch-like nature. Editor: Indeed, there's an immediacy to them. You can almost feel the artist's hand rapidly capturing the essence of these powerful creatures, focusing on their raw energy, and their potential danger. Curator: Barye, working in the 19th century, was fascinated by animal anatomy and behavior. These sketches served as studies for his sculptures, reflecting a broader cultural interest in the natural world during that period. Editor: Right. And look at the paper itself—aged, stained. It speaks to the process, the labor. These weren't meant for display; they were tools, raw material from which more refined objects would emerge. Curator: They were private documents that give us insight into the artist’s understanding of motion and form, predating his eventual public commissions and the taste of the time. Editor: I see it as honest exploration, free from constraints of academic expectations or public demand. The tigers seem to be in a liminal state, like the paper they are drawn on, suggesting the constant process of transformation and the nature of artistic creation. Curator: That’s a great thought. It's a reminder that even sketches have a valuable story to tell. Editor: Absolutely, these sketches offer an honest look into Barye’s artistic process and the cultural fascination with nature, labor, and material.