Landscape, Cornish, N.H. c. 1890

Curator: This is John White Alexander’s “Landscape, Cornish, N.H.” painted around 1890. The artwork is an example of the plein-air technique using oil paint. Editor: It’s remarkably calming. The heavy reliance on green tones washes over me like a memory of a summer day. Curator: Note how Alexander employs loose brushwork to capture the essence of the landscape. The impasto technique adds texture, creating depth on the canvas. Consider also the economic activities of the community in Cornish reflected here—sheep farming seems essential. Editor: Exactly, the strokes give shape and shadow in an uncomplicated, yet satisfying way. The trees, the stone fence—each of those formal choices helps direct the eye. Curator: This location in Cornish became a haven for artists and writers of the time. Its idyllic scenery and relative affordability fostered artistic production. We are essentially seeing an interpretation of labor within the creative process. Editor: I see it more as a study in light and shadow, personally. How the diffuse light plays across the field, illuminating the trees. The composition places the horizon high, focusing our attention on the curve of the land. It all really accentuates the form. Curator: I suppose that even while depicting something as seemingly serene as a landscape, Alexander was inherently engaged in material practices connected to the community in Cornish. How those elements of labor and the land are subtly embedded. Editor: I understand your point about its social context, but from my perspective, its timeless quality comes down to more than that—to something intrinsic to form and execution, that really captures the serenity that is almost archetypal. Curator: A serene composition born from labor, both artistic and agricultural. Editor: An intersection of technique and mood. That’s how I choose to see it, still.