Boats 19th-20th century

Editor: Here we have "Boats," a watercolor work by Denman Waldo Ross. It's quite small. I’m struck by how the reflections dominate the composition. What do you see in the way Ross uses color and form here? Curator: Note how the artist simplifies the forms into geometric masses, primarily rectangular and cylindrical. The subdued palette, predominantly blues and browns, serves to unify the composition, emphasizing the interplay between light and shadow. Editor: The reflections really mirror and almost abstract the forms, right? Curator: Precisely. Consider how this mirroring affects our perception of depth and space. Do the reflections ground the boats or dissolve them into pure form? Editor: Interesting. I hadn't thought of it that way. Now I appreciate the delicate balance between representation and abstraction at play.