Delaware River c. 20th century

Curator: Look at this gelatin-silver print. It's entitled "Delaware River" and it’s the work of James Bartlett Rich, dating from around the 20th century. Editor: Mmm, melancholy. It has that wonderfully hushed feel of a Sunday afternoon nap, all muted tones and softened edges. Very gentle. Curator: The composition really draws the eye down the river, doesn't it? The artist uses those trees as a sort of frame within a frame. Notice the delicate reflections in the water—it’s like the landscape is dreaming of itself. Editor: And that small boat by the riverbank? It adds such a human touch—almost a symbol of our insignificance against the vastness of nature. Though the stillness also speaks to possibility; perhaps freedom. The world is there, waiting to be navigated. Curator: Indeed. Rich seems very interested in structure here. The line of trees is mirroring what you get on the riverbank, it gives the image an almost geometric division of space—the natural versus something slightly more man-made. It shows the harmony of the composition. Editor: True, but for me it transcends mere geometry. This work evokes that familiar sense of solitude—a gentle acceptance of being alone with nature, almost spiritual. The heavy use of monochrome flattens everything so the shapes create an intense image without drawing too much attention to color. Curator: Considering his use of gelatin-silver print, you see the landscape immortalized, it feels so untouched—I imagine Rich trying to hold on to that through his work. The surface qualities contribute a softness to the whole scene, diffusing light and texture. Editor: And so this monochrome image invites reflection. It is about light, shadow, shapes. About the world we inhabit. It’s not about how the world looks—it is how the world feels. Curator: Thank you. It allows the observer to create their narrative. Editor: Indeed! A quiet moment in time for each viewer to fill in.