Sea 19th-20th century

Curator: Merton Clivette’s painting, simply titled "Sea," presents a roughly textured seascape—it feels almost unfinished, doesn't it? Editor: Yes, and yet, I find that rawness really appealing. The bold strokes of color, the stark contrast between rock and sky...it's like a memory of the sea, not a precise portrait. A wild, untamed feeling! Curator: It's interesting you say that, because the quick, almost impulsive brushwork does lend an immediacy. The white strokes, are they clouds? Waves? The boundary blurs, and that creates tension. Editor: I agree. The ambiguous symbolism amplifies the emotion. The ocean is the mother of life but also the bringer of storms, and it is a liminal space between different realms. And you get that sense of something both soothing and potentially destructive here. Curator: Right, and given its placement in the Harvard Art Museums, I imagine viewers find themselves pulled into reflecting on its broader impact on our history. Editor: Absolutely. Ultimately, "Sea" offers us a chance to reconnect with both the vastness and the intimacy of the natural world.