Heads, Kneeling Figure, Leg; verso: Profile of Old Woman in Bonnet 1845

Curator: This sketchbook leaf by Sanford Robinson Gifford, entitled "Heads, Kneeling Figure, Leg; verso: Profile of Old Woman in Bonnet", now residing at the Harvard Art Museums, gives us insight into the artist's process. Editor: It feels intimate, like peeking into his visual diary. The sparse lines leave so much to the imagination, almost haunting. Curator: Gifford, a leading figure of the Hudson River School, often used sketchbooks for studies, perhaps as preparation for larger landscape paintings or portraits. Editor: I see a vulnerability in these sketches, a rawness absent from his finished canvases. It speaks to the human condition, exploring forms with such directness. Curator: Absolutely. Sketchbooks like these offer a counter-narrative to the grand narratives of American landscape painting. Editor: Indeed. There's a certain charm in seeing a great artist at play, unburdened by expectations. It's like catching a glimpse of their soul.