Sketch of Three Pilaster Bases, Reform Club, London 19th-20th century

Curator: Here we have John Singer Sargent's "Sketch of Three Pilaster Bases, Reform Club, London," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small pencil drawing, only about 11 by 17 centimeters. Editor: The sketch's simplicity draws me in, it almost feels like a musical score. Curator: Interesting! Consider the Reform Club, a hub for political discourse, a space built by collective labor. Sargent, embedded in this social fabric, documents its architecture. How might this affect our understanding of the artwork? Editor: Perhaps the rhythm of the pilasters reflects the repetitive, almost ritualistic nature of political debate within the club. The precise lines hint at the rigid structure of societal power. Curator: Right, Sargent's sketch is more than just architectural documentation; it also hints at the social dynamics within the Reform Club. Editor: It's fascinating how a simple sketch can reveal such intricate layers.