Sketch of a Head; verso: blank c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Joshua Reynolds' "Sketch of a Head," undated, a wispy graphite drawing. It feels so fleeting, like a dream half-remembered. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a whisper, isn't it? I see Reynolds, ever the portraitist, searching for form, not just rendering likeness. This isn't about *who* it is, but *what* a head can be: the tilt, the suggestion of thought behind the brow. Doesn't it remind you of trying to capture a feeling? Editor: Absolutely! It’s less about precision and more about essence. What do you think Reynolds was aiming to capture with this sketch? Curator: Perhaps not an exact likeness, but a feeling of nobility or perhaps a certain type of melancholy. I also wonder if this was practice for a larger work. Seeing this, I'm struck by how even quick sketches can possess such emotional depth. Editor: I agree; I'll certainly look at sketches differently from now on.