Cleric Holding a Ewer; verso: John Armstrong, American Minister to France 1805 - 1806

Curator: This sketch, attributed to Jacques-Louis David, is titled "Cleric Holding a Ewer." It's rendered in graphite on paper. Editor: I'm immediately struck by the austerity of it all. The grid peeking through the figure, the cleric's somber expression—it feels like a study in control. Curator: The ewer, a vessel often associated with purification and ritual cleansing, adds a layer of symbolic weight, suggesting themes of spiritual duty. Editor: Perhaps. Or maybe it's just a fancy water pitcher. Either way, that tiny ewer seems almost comically precious against the backdrop of the cleric's austere robes. Curator: It does offer a focal point—a concentration of meaning within an otherwise simple composition. These objects gain resonance through repeated use within a symbolic system. Editor: I love how you can find entire worlds in a few graphite lines! I will never look at ewers the same way again.