Stromboli, 1904 (from Sketchbook) 1904

Editor: This is "Stromboli, 1904 (from Sketchbook)," a charcoal drawing on paper by Mary Newbold Sargent. It’s a rather bleak scene, all grays and muted tones. I’m struck by the imposing, almost brooding, presence of the volcano against the otherwise empty landscape. What do you make of this piece? Curator: It certainly captures the sublime, that feeling of awe mixed with terror in the face of nature’s power. Stromboli, even as a sketch, evokes a long history of the volcano as a symbolic presence, especially for those in its vicinity. How do you think the artist utilizes symbolism to represent this? Editor: I hadn’t really considered that. I just saw the mountain and the sea. Curator: Consider the enduring significance of volcanoes across cultures – often connected to the divine, to creation and destruction. Notice how the dark charcoal seems to emanate an almost unsettling aura; Stromboli would have had great psychological presence in 1904. Could Sargent be referencing deeper, almost primordial fears or respect for natural forces through such stark imagery? Editor: So, it’s not just a picture of a mountain, it’s…layered? I'm beginning to get a feel for the volcano's symbolism – powerful, a little scary... It is as if it watches over that whole region! Curator: Exactly! By capturing this volcano at that time, do you get any sense of Sargent trying to invoke these concepts and what that means to cultural memory, to place, to her own experiences? Editor: I do. Thinking about those "primordial fears," Sargent presents Stromboli almost like an idol, not simply an environment. Thanks so much for sharing your perspective! Curator: My pleasure! It’s in recognizing these threads of history and symbolism that the artwork truly comes alive.