What We Saw at the Opera; verso: Nine Figure Studies 1867 - 1869

Editor: This is William Rimmer's sketch, "What We Saw at the Opera," from the Harvard Art Museums. It's so light and airy, a quick impression of a night out, I'm struck by its intimacy. What do you make of it? Curator: It's like catching a fleeting memory, isn't it? Rimmer gives us just enough to evoke the scene – the ornate hats, the sea of heads. It's a study in observation, less about the opera itself and more about the experience of being in the audience. The artist captured a particular moment in time. Doesn't it feel like we're eavesdropping? Editor: It does! I initially focused on the hats, but now I am wondering what exactly Rimmer wanted to say about this specific audience. Curator: It invites us to wonder, doesn't it? Art often holds up a mirror, not just to the world, but to ourselves. Editor: I see it differently now – less a simple sketch, and more a reflection on society and how we experience art collectively. Curator: Exactly, it is as though it transcends a simple sketch. That's the magic, isn't it?