Designs for Ornamental Frames; verso: Molding Profiles for Column Base (?) c. 1895 - 1916

Curator: Here we have a pencil sketch by John Singer Sargent titled "Designs for Ornamental Frames; verso: Molding Profiles for Column Base(?)." Editor: My first impression is that it looks like a city skyline, but deconstructed, all these crenellations evoke a sense of fortification. Curator: Indeed, this drawing, now held at the Harvard Art Museums, reveals Sargent's engagement with architectural detailing, offering insight into the labor involved in crafting ornament. Editor: Considering Sargent's other works, it's interesting to consider the symbolic weight of these structural elements. Do they represent stability, aspiration, or perhaps confinement? Curator: Well, the act of sketching these profiles—the preparatory work—highlights how architectural components are also crafted objects subject to the artist’s intention and the laborer's hand. Editor: It's like a dreamscape of architectural possibilities. It makes you wonder what stories these silent forms might tell about their place in our collective memory. Curator: Precisely, Sargent is demonstrating the potential for material expression. Editor: Ultimately, this sketch gives us pause to consider how the past shapes the present through enduring symbols.