S. Fermo, Padua, Italy 19th-20th century

Curator: We're looking at Denman Waldo Ross's pencil drawing, titled "S. Fermo, Padua, Italy," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s ethereal, almost a ghost of a cityscape. The barely-there lines suggest a dreamlike quality. Curator: The sketch’s strength lies in its compositional arrangement; observe how the verticality of the bell tower plays against the horizontal spread of the buildings. Editor: I wonder what Ross intended to convey with such a delicate portrayal. Padua, a site of learning, rendered so faintly—perhaps a commentary on the fleeting nature of knowledge? Or maybe the precarity of cultural identity? Curator: Or perhaps a simple exercise in tonal values and line weight? Let us not forget the formal possibilities inherent in the medium itself. Editor: A charming possibility, but I prefer to situate it in the context of his travels, exploring how this image could reflect his relationship with the city. Curator: Regardless of our differing perspectives, this drawing offers a fascinating glimpse into Ross's artistic process.