Editor’s Note: Of Amorous Dogs, Signatures on Sashes, and Drawing While Dancing

Abstract

As editor I’ve had the opportunity to read hundreds of reports by peer reviewers explaining their reasons for accepting or rejecting an article submitted to Source, justifying their decision with a wide variety of criteria or systems of value. By far the best andmost compelling reason for clicking the “Accept” option can be summed up in the statement “This essay made me look at X in a different way than before,” X being the artist, painting, statue, building, or motif examined by the author of the article. There is something akin to alchemy in this power to transform the visual experience, for it often changes lead into gold, and we