Opening of the Season 1928

Editor: This is "Opening of the Season," an etching by Philip Little from 1928, currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It feels nostalgic, almost like a faded memory of simpler times. What catches your eye most about this piece? Curator: What I see is an idealized depiction of leisure, carefully constructed within the social and cultural milieu of the late 1920s. Think about the rise of the middle class and their increased access to recreation. This image isn't just about fishing; it subtly reinforces a particular vision of American life, where access to nature and outdoor pursuits become a symbol of status and well-being. Editor: So, it’s more than just a simple landscape? Curator: Exactly. Consider who this image was likely made for. Who bought and displayed prints like these? Certainly not the working class who might have been struggling during that period. Little is playing into a market interested in this vision of leisure. The idyllic landscape itself becomes a commodity. Does knowing that change how you perceive the print’s ‘nostalgia’? Editor: It does actually. I hadn't thought about the socio-economic context framing even a seemingly simple activity like fishing. The 'faded memory' I sensed now feels more like a carefully curated projection of the good life for a specific audience. Curator: Precisely. It highlights the crucial role of art in shaping and reflecting societal values. We are constantly participating in the politics of imagery, aren’t we? Editor: I never looked at landscapes that way, thanks for the insight! Curator: My pleasure; thinking about the historical audience changes everything, doesn't it?