Sketches of a Globe 19th-20th century

Curator: These rapidly sketched globes by John Singer Sargent, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, offer a glimpse into the artist's process. The sketchiness lends a playful, almost dreamlike quality. Editor: Indeed, but note how Sargent is playing with symmetry and asymmetry, especially in the globe stands. The variations suggest he was exploring different aesthetic possibilities. What do you make of the context of these globes? Curator: It's worth remembering Sargent's era—a time of burgeoning global power for the West, fueled by colonial narratives. These globes, even in sketch form, evoke that sense of exploration and dominion. Editor: Perhaps. Or maybe he was simply fascinated by the sphere as a form, as a vehicle for light and shadow. Look how he implies volume with such minimal lines. Curator: Ultimately, these sketches reveal Sargent's engagement with the visual language of his time, and the ways in which that language was intertwined with power. Editor: And his masterful economy of line, capturing form and light with just a few strokes. A testament to his observational skill.