Probably Fontvielle by Dodge Macknight

1885

Probably Fontvielle

Listen to curator's interpretation

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Curatorial notes

Editor: This is Dodge Macknight's watercolor, "Probably Fontvielle," at the Harvard Art Museums. The light in this painting is amazing, it makes me feel like I'm standing in the warm sun. What do you make of it? Curator: The shadows hold as much weight as the structures themselves, don't they? They suggest a history, a cultural memory embedded in the stones and tiles. Do you see how the artist uses color to evoke a sense of place, of time worn down and rebuilt? Editor: Definitely. The colors give it a sense of age. It almost feels like I've been there before. Curator: It’s that resonance, that feeling of familiarity, that makes symbols so powerful. I see the sun-drenched buildings as more than just architecture. For me, they embody perseverance, endurance. Editor: I never thought of it like that, but I see what you mean! Thanks for sharing your insight.