The Treasure of Carcassonne 1928

Editor: So, this is Dorothy Lathrop's "The Treasure of Carcassonne" from 1928, created with ink on paper. It gives off a whimsical, almost dreamlike vibe. It feels very much like an illustration from a children's book. What stands out to you when you look at this drawing? Curator: You know, it whispers tales of childhood innocence and forgotten stories. That heavy linework reminds me of a comforting blanket on a rainy day. And there's that donkey peering through the window. Do you think it's a benevolent observer or something a bit more… mischievous? I keep wondering what the “treasure” really is. The cabbages perhaps? Or something far more fantastical that we cannot immediately grasp. Editor: I hadn’t thought of the donkey being mischievous, more of a gentle giant. Maybe the treasure is the simple act of tending a garden, this quiet world created in the linework. Curator: That's lovely. But isn’t there something a bit unsettling about those doll-like figures, especially the one just sitting in the grass staring? It's as if they’ve stepped out of a nursery rhyme… maybe one with a hidden dark side. Are those watchful eyes filled with secrets or simply reflecting our own anxieties? It gives the seemingly gentle drawing some tension. Editor: That's a cool perspective! The figures did strike me as innocent but now they look more enigmatic, less like pure innocence and more knowing. Curator: Exactly! I always find that the most interesting artworks aren't those that provide easy answers but instead pose endless, lingering questions that reveal themselves to us bit by bit like some unfolding treasure map. Maybe the treasure lies within *us* and this drawing serves to reflect. Editor: I see what you mean, it’s an open ended reflection of childhood, where things might seem innocent but have complex roots. Thanks for untangling some of that for me! Curator: My pleasure, It's a joy to reconsider, even an innocent little picture through your ever insightful youthful eyes.