View of Perugia 

Curator: What a striking vista! It's titled "View of Perugia" by Edwin Austin Abbey, and it appears to be a watercolour. Editor: There's a calmness to the subdued palette. I see mainly ochres and blues, applied in loose, impressionistic strokes. The way the light hits the buildings creates strong geometric forms. It's lovely. Curator: Abbey's career is interesting. He started as an illustrator, contributing significantly to publications like Harper's Weekly. It's easy to view works such as this through the lens of late 19th century American expatriate artists who flocked to Europe for artistic inspiration and a rejection of industrialization, I feel like a bit of nostalgia here for pre-industrial Europe. Editor: Yes, and his handling of watercolor gives it such lightness, which feels true to life. Look at the subtle variations in tone to render the shadows! The composition, although seemingly simple, cleverly leads the eye from the foreground buildings towards the distant hills. Curator: And consider that choice: to focus on Perugia from afar, Abbey participates in a rich tradition of landscape painting that, at the time, was really shifting to show how Europeans thought of cities and of the historical past. He’s shaping a narrative, and perhaps romanticizing the landscape. What do you think of the social impact this may have had? Editor: Perhaps you are right. Though to me it transcends a straightforward record. It leans more towards atmosphere, capturing a mood rather than a documentary. I can almost feel the stillness of the air, the sun reflecting. It's an exploration of pure form through light and color, using Perugia as the object of the piece. Curator: I think that's well put. Overall, looking at this view that Abbey provides it is important to look at how history and culture can be deeply expressed in art such as this. Editor: I concur. A simple image becomes a vehicle for many discussions through colour and composition, making it a compelling and deceptively complex work of art.