Boats 

Editor: So, here we have “Boats” by John Singer Sargent, rendered in watercolor. The reflections on the water are quite lovely. I wonder, how do you see the social context of this work influencing its production? Curator: Well, let’s consider the materiality. Watercolor was portable, commercially produced, making it accessible. Sargent's elite status gave him the leisure to travel and create plein-air works. This contrasts sharply with, say, the labor of shipbuilding represented here. Editor: That’s interesting, I didn’t immediately think about that division of labor. Curator: Exactly! What about the construction of the boats themselves? Are they mass-produced or more artisanal? Is there any class-related or social message about them or about the place in which they were made, do you think? Editor: They appear handmade. Looking at the small scale of the boats, maybe this is capturing an old way of life disrupted by industry. What do you make of that rough structure on the quay? Curator: It highlights a working environment. The painting is not just of the water and light, but of the physical space that enables a livelihood. Are the nets mended there? How are they bought and sold? Sargent's work offers us this window into these systems of labor and production, albeit framed through a specific lens of privilege and leisure. Editor: That’s a helpful way to see it – going beyond the surface and thinking about the labor and materials involved. I appreciate that new understanding! Curator: Indeed, reflecting on what this kind of art says and obscures is vital.