San Giovanni, Genoa. Verso: Jetty or Mole, Probably at Genoa, with Rowing Boats Unloading Casks and Melons 

Editor: This is William Parrott’s "San Giovanni, Genoa," of no specific date, held at the Tate. I’m struck by how the watercolor captures the daily life – the laundry hanging out to dry. What do you see here? Curator: I see the process of artmaking inextricably linked to the everyday processes of life. The very act of depicting laundry—a task of labor—elevates the mundane. How does Parrott's choice of watercolor, a relatively accessible medium, democratize artmaking itself? Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn’t considered the choice of medium. It makes you wonder about the intended audience. Curator: Precisely! And consider the materiality of the paint, the paper. They are readily available, almost pedestrian. Editor: So, the art challenges high and low art. Curator: Exactly. Art isn’t just about cathedrals, but also clotheslines. Editor: I learned so much about this piece!