Brooklyn Landscape 1886

Editor: Here we have William Merritt Chase's "Brooklyn Landscape" from 1886, rendered in oil. The loose brushstrokes give the whole scene a dreamlike, almost nostalgic feel. What are your thoughts? Curator: It’s interesting that you say ‘nostalgic.’ The house with its fenced border evokes childhood memories of safety and enclosure. The open field then becomes the threshold into adulthood and possibility. The city beyond the building reminds me of ambition and progress that draw one to leave home, but also stands for a potential loss of innocence. Editor: That's a beautiful reading of the piece. Do you see any symbolism in the colors? Curator: The red door appears twice. Red can mean a range of things. Considering how the artist used this pigment only on what provides access to or encloses spaces, the bold red acts as both warning and invitation; crossing that threshold will involve crossing between distinct worlds, leaving the safety of the known behind. Editor: I never would have thought about that! Now that you mention it, I see it so clearly! Thank you. Curator: These images tap into the collective unconscious; they resonate because they access archetypal human experiences and stages of life that can be continuously re-experienced by people everywhere. I see something new in it every time. Editor: I am walking away from this conversation with so many perspectives. The personal significance we associate with images can make art experiences meaningful.