Burnt Sienna 

Curator: Here we have "Burnt Sienna," manufactured by F. Weber & Company, a fascinating object from the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? It looks like rich, fiery earth suspended in time. Like a genie in a bottle, waiting to be released onto a canvas. Curator: Absolutely. Pigments like this played a crucial role in art history. Weber and other companies democratized art by making colors readily available. Editor: It’s wild to think of all the masterpieces this little jar could have inspired. A humble hero behind the scenes. Curator: Exactly. Its existence speaks to the industrialization of art and the changing role of the artist in society. Editor: I love that: a tangible object connecting us to the creative process, reminding us that art always starts somewhere. Curator: Indeed. And it underscores how even the most ordinary object can reveal profound stories about culture and creation. Editor: Well, I for one, am ready to get painting!