Sketches for Lunettes, Boston Public Library (recto and verso) 1895 - 1916

Curator: This is John Singer Sargent’s "Sketches for Lunettes, Boston Public Library." Editor: My goodness, it's all so preliminary and ethereal, like a dream half-remembered. Curator: Sargent was, of course, formulating his murals at the BPL. What we're seeing is the dance between architectural space and narrative content. Note how he wrestles with form and figures. Editor: The arches themselves seem to echo a kind of visual language of protection, or maybe reverence, in a sacred space. It suggests a long tradition of using architecture to tell stories. Curator: Indeed, he’s channeling a powerful artistic heritage. It's fascinating to witness Sargent's mind at work, grappling with ideas before they crystallize. Editor: It’s also amazing how a few lines can evoke such a sense of grand scale, especially when you consider the final installation. Curator: Absolutely, you sense that vastness here, captured so succinctly.