Cupsuptic Lake, Maine 1878

Curator: This small pencil drawing on paper depicts Cupsuptic Lake in Maine, by Benjamin Champney. Editor: It feels so delicate, almost ephemeral. There’s a sense of solitude, a quiet observation of the landscape. Curator: Champney was a key figure in the White Mountain School, known for romanticizing the American landscape. Consider the indigenous populations, dispossessed as these landscapes were 'discovered' and celebrated. Editor: The lone stand of trees on the right echoes classical landscape painting motifs, a sign of resilience, perhaps, against the encroaching openness. Water is such a potent symbol of change. Curator: Indeed, and Champney’s work, while seemingly serene, contributes to a complex narrative of land, identity, and power in 19th-century America. Editor: I see layers of meaning now, beyond the initial impression of a tranquil scene. It’s more complicated than it appears.