Ruth and Naomi, Study for a Window, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York c. 1904

Editor: Here we have John La Farge's "Ruth and Naomi, Study for a Window." It's watercolor on paper, and I'm struck by how ethereal the figures appear. What do you notice about the materials and their effect? Curator: I see the watercolor less as ethereal and more as an intentional study of the possibilities of stained glass, it's end purpose. How does La Farge use the watercolor medium to simulate the transmission of light through colored glass? Consider also the social context: what kind of labor would have been involved in realizing this window? Editor: That's a great point about the labor involved. I hadn't thought about that aspect of production. Curator: And think about consumption: who would have commissioned such a window? Editor: It makes me rethink the whole piece now. Thanks!