Landscape c. 19th century

Curator: This is William Morris's "Landscape," an undated drawing currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The heavy charcoal gives it a dramatic, almost ominous feeling. The dark trees really dominate the composition. Curator: Morris, of course, was a central figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, reacting against industrialization. I wonder if the darkness speaks to that unease? Editor: Absolutely. The deliberate, almost violent strokes could be read as a rejection of the clean lines and mass production he so vehemently opposed. It's a powerful statement about the relationship between humanity and nature, especially during a period of rapid social change. Curator: Indeed, viewing it through the lens of his socialist beliefs, we can see the drawing as a commentary on the exploitation of both the working class and the natural world. Editor: It makes you appreciate the layers within what seems, at first glance, like a simple landscape sketch. Curator: It's a reminder that even the most bucolic images can be infused with potent social and political meaning.