Slaughter Bridge 1897

Editor: So, this is Joseph Pennell's "Slaughter Bridge," a print from around the turn of the century, held at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels so quiet and still, almost dreamlike. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The title immediately brings to mind histories of violence, doesn't it? "Slaughter Bridge" evokes conflict, yet the scene is pastoral. Perhaps Pennell is subtly commenting on the romanticization of history, the way we often sanitize violent pasts to create picturesque landscapes. Editor: That’s a powerful reading! I was just thinking about the technique. Curator: Indeed. The softness of the etching also contributes to this feeling of distance, a separation from the reality of whatever "slaughter" might have occurred there. Consider, too, who gets to represent these histories, and whose narratives are erased. What do you make of the figures present? Editor: I see your point. The figures almost blend into the landscape. It makes me wonder about the stories hidden within this seemingly peaceful scene.