The Lovers' Dream 1949

Editor: This is Haddon Hubbard Sundblom’s "The Lovers' Dream," an oil painting from 1949. The figures are enveloped by a cloud of pastel flowers. I’m curious to know, how do you interpret the symbolism of the lush floral background juxtaposed with the intimate portrayal of the figures? Curator: Well, let's consider the oil paint itself, the way it's applied, almost like a mass-produced ideal of romance readily available to a consumer in the late 1940s. Those thick impasto strokes become…almost edible, don't they? This accessibility blurs the lines between high art and, say, commercial illustration, where Sundblom made his living. Think about what that meant for the perceived value of art in everyday life, especially through channels like advertising or reproduced prints. Editor: So, you’re focusing on how the *making* of this artwork reflects its social purpose? Curator: Precisely. This piece is less about "high" romance and more about the industrial complex churning out representations of love. The very materiality, that fleshy oil paint mimicking skin and flower, connects it to consumption, pleasure, and maybe even superficiality. How does that idea of accessibility and "easy" romance affect our view of its artistic merit? Editor: That makes sense! I hadn't considered the oil paint itself as a commodity contributing to that effect. Does it critique or simply reflect this consumer culture? Curator: Perhaps both. It exists comfortably within that cycle, replicating a very idealized and palatable version of love, while subtly pointing toward the mechanics of desire within a materialist society. Think of those soft pastels mimicking makeup on the woman’s face, enhancing desirability! Editor: Interesting. It's definitely more complex than I initially perceived. I appreciate your focus on how materials and their application relate to consumption! Curator: Likewise, reflecting on the tangible reality of the artwork sheds a new light for me on how social meanings are built and negotiated through art and its materials.