Honfleur c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have John Cousen's "Honfleur" from the Harvard Art Museums, a monochromatic landscape. It has such a wistful, almost melancholic atmosphere. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, it whispers to me of transient moments, doesn't it? Like a memory fading at the edges. See how the light plays with the water, almost a blur? It feels less about a precise place and more about a feeling evoked by that place, a sense of fleeting beauty. Maybe even a touch of longing? Editor: Longing, yes! I see that now, especially in the distance. Thanks! Curator: Absolutely! It's as if Cousen captured not just Honfleur, but the very echo of a moment in time.