Head of a Young Man Gazing Upward; Pair of Eyes 1819 - 1820

Editor: This is Washington Allston’s study, "Head of a Young Man Gazing Upward; Pair of Eyes," from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a delicate pencil sketch. What do you make of that upward gaze? Curator: The upward gaze is a potent symbol, recurring throughout art history. What does it evoke for you? Is it devotion? Yearning? The eyes themselves, even sketched, are windows into the soul. Editor: I see both yearning and vulnerability. Why include the second set of eyes floating above? Curator: The doubled eyes hint at the layering of perception, perhaps the artist exploring different facets of the subject's inner life or even alluding to an unseen spiritual realm. It’s a subtle doubling, adding symbolic depth. Editor: So interesting to consider how a simple sketch can hold so much meaning. Curator: Indeed, visual symbols are powerful carriers of meaning across time.