Gezicht op het Schloss Moritzburg Possibly 1752 - 1754

Editor: This watercolor, "Gezicht op het Schloss Moritzburg," possibly from 1752-1754, shows a very ordered and perhaps idealized view of the Schloss and its gardens. The subdued palette lends a slightly melancholic mood, despite the clearly active scene. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Well, I immediately look at the materiality – watercolor was itself a commercially produced good. Robert Sayer, the artist, would have needed access to these specific materials. Consider also the pigments; where did they originate? The clothing of the figures—how do the materials used for these garments indicate social status? This depiction signifies a consumption of goods but, importantly, also leisure itself. Editor: So, you're suggesting that even a seemingly simple landscape like this can be viewed through the lens of material consumption? Curator: Absolutely. Rococo landscapes are far from simple, really. Look at the way Sayer depicts the architecture, so exact, a possible form of architectural digest if you will. I suggest that he is both celebrating and perhaps even marketing this constructed aristocratic ideal of country life, reliant on exploited labor. Who maintained these gardens? How did resources reach this Chateau? What do we not see? Editor: That is fascinating, I hadn’t considered the connection between the idyllic scene and the means of production necessary to achieve it. Curator: The labor needed for this manicured perfection is almost completely elided. These material traces hint at the larger social and economic networks at play, a consumption that is deeply embedded in these materials and landscapes. Editor: This perspective completely reframes how I understand landscapes of this era. Thanks so much! Curator: My pleasure, thinking through material history really does unlock so much.