Landscape with Palm Trees 19th-20th century

Curator: Standing before us is Joseph Smith's "Landscape with Palm Trees," held by the Harvard Art Museums. The piece, just over 10 inches tall, presents a vibrant, if somewhat hazy, scene. Editor: My first thought? It's pure joy. The colors are so unapologetically bright, like a child let loose with a full palette. It makes you want to grab a brush and join the party. Curator: The materiality speaks volumes. Look at those thick impasto strokes! You can practically feel the weight of the oil paint, built up to capture the light filtering through the fronds. It hints at a real physicality in the artist's process. Editor: Yes, the impasto gives it such an energetic feel. Though, I wonder about the human presence. There are people, yet they are tiny blurs, almost insignificant against the exuberance of the landscape, as if they are consumed by nature. Curator: Interesting point. The artist's labor is apparent in the painting, but what about the labor implied by the landscape itself? The cultivation, the harvesting. What’s not shown becomes just as important. Editor: I agree, and ultimately, this is a joyous expression and a quiet meditation. Curator: A fitting end to our short journey through Smith's tropical vision.