Landscape with Lake; verso: Partial Landscape with Lake 1860 - 1863

Editor: This is Sanford Robinson Gifford's "Landscape with Lake," sketched on paper. The delicate lines create such a sense of stillness. How do you interpret this understated portrayal of nature? Curator: I see a critique of Manifest Destiny. While seemingly serene, Gifford's choice to render the landscape so sparsely questions the narrative of endless expansion and exploitation of land, especially considering Indigenous displacement. What do you think? Editor: That's a powerful perspective! I hadn't considered the social implications within this seemingly quiet scene. Curator: Yes, it shows that art can question dominant ideologies. Editor: I'll definitely look at landscapes differently now.