Haunted House 1858

Editor: So, this is "Haunted House," an 1858 oil painting by Thomas Moran. It looks so forlorn, almost like it’s slowly being swallowed by the earth. What stands out to you? Curator: Immediately, I consider the labor involved in creating such a detailed work with oil paint. Think of the sourcing of pigments, the grinding and mixing, the canvas preparation, not to mention the hours spent applying those paints. And what does it mean to depict a house – itself a product of significant material resources and labor – in such a state of decay? Editor: So you are focused on the labor involved in production, and the cultural relevance? Curator: Exactly. The image almost romanticizes the consumption of material. Is it critiquing the cyclical nature of building and demolition? It almost mocks those that lived within. This painting highlights a certain cycle. Editor: The way it's rendered definitely conveys a sense of… loss, maybe? Curator: But a visually appealing one! Look at the light glinting across the stone. The labour that created the place and went into depicting it...Consider what social class can acquire and waste on one structure? What’s gained, what’s lost, and who profits? The materials themselves speak to social status, to cycles of economic development and decay. Editor: It makes me think about the whole Romantic idea of ruins, this fascination with what’s broken down. Curator: Right, but push beyond the romanticism. Question the resources needed for Romantic ruins. This focus transforms art analysis by examining the entire art making enterprise: the economics and social implications embedded within. Editor: I hadn’t considered the materials in that light before. So much to think about, it is the ultimate visual representation of a wealthy community that lived within this structure. It must have taken an extraordinary amount of resources and money to acquire the best resources possible. Curator: Precisely, viewing it through a Materialist perspective adds another level of consideration. Now do you see it too?