Vase on a Socle with Two Egyptian Figures "Inventé par Robert," Woman Teaching a Child the Flute, Three Vases on an Altar with Masks and Eagles, Fountain Supported by Three Atlantis Figures 1763

Curator: This is a fascinating collection of sketches by Jean-Claude Richard, Abbé de Saint-Non, showcasing various sculptural designs. I see influences from Egyptian art to Greco-Roman themes, reflecting the period's fascination with antiquity. Editor: Wow, it's like a mood board for garden ornaments! The figures feel a bit stiff, but there's a quirky charm to their arrangement, almost like the artist was playing with ancient IKEA instructions. Curator: Indeed, the juxtaposition of different cultural elements, particularly the Egyptian figures with classical motifs, reveals the complex power dynamics inherent in the colonial gaze of the era. These were designs intended for wealthy patrons, reinforcing social hierarchies. Editor: So, were these ever actually built, or are they just daydreams in ink? I imagine these fountains gurgling with secrets in some forgotten courtyard, a visual symbol of dominance. Curator: Some may have been realised, though many probably remained as proposals. Saint-Non's role was crucial, connecting artistic ideas with social and economic capital. Editor: It makes you wonder, doesn't it? All that stone, all that labor, just to make a splash! Still, there's a strange allure to these idealized forms, a promise of beauty, even if it's laced with unequal power. Curator: Precisely, and reflecting on Saint-Non's sketch collection compels us to interrogate the legacy of such artistic and social constructions. Editor: Absolutely, I think this drawing reminds us that art isn't just about beauty; it's about who gets to decide what that beauty looks like and what it represents.