Landscape, Remarque: Pansies 1892 - 1893

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to Charles-Marie Dulac's "Landscape, Remarque: Pansies" at the Harvard Art Museums. It measures about 65 by 45 centimeters. Editor: My first impression is one of profound stillness. There is a sepia-toned, dreamlike quality that feels both nostalgic and deeply peaceful. Curator: Dulac was a rather obscure figure, active during a time when the art world was rapidly changing. His printmaking reflects the pastoral interests of the late 19th century. Editor: Yes, and I see in this work an interesting interplay of visibility and obscurity, hinting at broader questions about access to nature and representation of the landscape. Who could access such a landscape? How is it being represented? Curator: The work’s material history as a print meant it could be more widely distributed than a painting. Editor: Absolutely, but who had access to art and art institutions at that time? The social and economic context of the late 19th century Europe cannot be ignored. Curator: A valid point, and thinking of the art world now, there are still many structural and institutional roadblocks to access and representation. Editor: Indeed. Considering these factors provides a deeper understanding of the power dynamics at play, then and now.