Finding Peace in the City That Never Quiets Down

A New York City illustrator reflects on the unlikely serenity she has discovered in one particular part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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April 1, 2023, 10:00 a.m. ET

Image <source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 3),(max-width: 599px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 3),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 3dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 288dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-mobileMasterAt3x.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=600"/><source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),(max-width: 599px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 2dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 192dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-mobileMasterAt3x.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1200"/><source media="(max-width: 599px) and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 1),(max-width: 599px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 1dppx),(max-width: 599px) and (min-resolution: 96dpi)" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-mobileMasterAt3x.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1800"/><img alt="An illustration of a city skyline with swirling colors appears below a block of text that reads: “The ability to carve out a moment of peace in the chaos — however you can manage it — is essential in New York.” To the right of that is an illustration of a person sitting in front of a full bookshelf while reading. Text below that reads: “The stacks of a hushed library.” " class="css-r3fift" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-articleLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale" srcset="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-articleLarge.png?quality=75&auto=webp 600w,https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-jumbo.png?quality=75&auto=webp 1024w,https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/04/01/arts/01sketchpad-met-collection-web/01sketchpad-met-collection-web-superJumbo.png?quality=75&auto=webp 2048w" sizes="((min-width: 600px) and (max-width: 1004px)) 84vw, (min-width: 1005px) 60vw, 100vw" decoding="async" width="600" height="600"/>

Finding Peace in the City That Never Quiets Down

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