Terra Umbra Naturale 1920

Curator: This is 'Terra Umbra Naturale,' manufactured in 1920 by F. Weber & Company, Inc. Editor: The sepia tones give it a certain gravitas; it reminds me of old photographs and faded memories. Curator: Indeed. What we're looking at is raw pigment. It invites us to consider the labor and the industrial processes involved in artmaking, often obscured by romantic notions of artistic genius. Editor: Right, and it prompts questions about the sourcing of materials. 'Terra Umbra Naturale' evokes the earth, but also hints at potential colonial extraction and exploitation tied to its production and distribution. Curator: Absolutely. It's a commodity, a material, and a historical artifact all at once. Editor: So much potential history held in that unassuming jar.