Study for 'The Sources of Wealth'

Kenyon Cox's preparatory sketch for a major institutional commission presents allegorical figures in a frieze composition. The design features classical winged forms and draped figures arranged in a linear procession, establishing hierarchy and narrative flow through spatial positioning and gestural language. Cox, a prominent muralist and academician, employed this traditional compositional method—developing full-scale designs through detailed studies—to organize complex symbolic content for architectural settings. The sketch demonstrates the careful structural planning required for public commissions, with gridlines indicating proportional transfers to larger surfaces. This work reflects the beaux-arts tradition of combining classical iconography with American commercial subjects.