[title not known] 

Curator: This small sketch, currently untitled, comes to us from Sir David Wilkie, who lived from 1785 to 1841. It resides in the Tate Collections. Editor: It feels like a fleeting glimpse, all quick lines and suggested forms. Almost dreamlike. Curator: Wilkie was known for his genre paintings, depicting scenes of everyday life. This rapid sketch hints at a larger composition, perhaps a study for a painting. Editor: I see figures in what could be robes, maybe a religious setting, or a courtroom? There’s a certain formality implied even in this rough state. Who holds power here? Curator: The composition does suggest a hierarchy, with figures elevated on what could be a platform. But without more context, it's hard to say definitively. Editor: Even in this unfinished form, you can sense Wilkie’s engagement with social dynamics, wondering about the lives represented in this sketch. Curator: Indeed. It offers a glimpse into his process, and into a world that begs further investigation. Editor: It makes me think about how much is left unsaid, both in the sketch and in history. Curator: A productive ambiguity, I think.