Sketches of Heads; verso: Landscape 1869

Editor: This sheet of sketches by John Singer Sargent, simply titled "Sketches of Heads; verso: Landscape," is like a peek into his visual diary. It's a whirlwind of faces and fragments. What do you make of this collection? Curator: I see a restless mind at play. Imagine Sargent, notebook in hand, capturing glimpses of people, places, fleeting impressions. It’s not about finished portraits, but about the sheer joy of observing and recording. It’s like catching fireflies in a jar – each sketch a spark of inspiration. Does it give you the sense that he's just trying to quickly capture what's in front of him? Editor: Absolutely. It feels so immediate and personal. I hadn't thought about it that way, but I see now that it’s the artist’s looking that is on display. Curator: Precisely! And perhaps it is about the freedom to be imperfect, too. Every now and then, it is really fun to look at what isn't a finished product.