Untitled c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have an untitled watercolor painting and drawing believed to be from around the 19th century by an anonymous artist. You can find it here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: It has such a charming awkwardness! A dreamlike quality to the proportions. Are we sure it’s not a memory palace or the artist’s longing distilled into form? Curator: The artist certainly leaned into their own visual language. It’s an example of folk or naïve art. Look at the way the buildings are rendered. Editor: The architectural symbols! Notice how the structures take center stage, rendered with almost reverent attention. Are these government buildings? Educational institutions? Their imposing facades certainly project a sense of established power. The garden seems almost secondary, a decorative fringe to these monoliths of… what exactly? Curator: Considering the period, possibly a college campus. Think of the role of institutions and how they shape identity. The style itself emphasizes clarity, directness. Even the black decorative framing around the edges lends to this effect. It reminds me of certain primitive portraits, but translated into architectural form. Editor: Yes, there's almost an insistence on linear perspective, but it’s wonderfully subverted. See how the foreground garden tilts up, creating this wonderfully surreal stage. I wonder if the artist ever thought this ‘awkwardness’ would be appreciated like this centuries later! Curator: Absolutely! It feels fresh and defies expectation. To me it really embodies a beautiful collision between observed reality and a purely subjective vision. What else sticks out? Editor: The flags flying atop each building-- they give it an official or patriotic feeling. It speaks to themes of nationhood, education, and perhaps civic pride. Though I suspect this piece hides so much of its secret intentions from us. Curator: Perhaps. Regardless, I find that pieces like this often invite us to re-examine our assumptions of skill and expression. There is a power to this 'naive' approach! Editor: Agreed. It certainly allows the soul of the subject to shine through. This artwork acts as a kind of mirror, showing us something new about ourselves and how we respond to art's myriad forms.