Mountain Stream c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Edmund William Evans' "Mountain Stream," from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a lovely scene, but almost somber. What's your take? Curator: I'm drawn to the way Evans uses light and shadow. Notice how the arch frames the wildness, almost like taming it. A bit like how we try to understand nature, wouldn’t you say? Editor: I see what you mean. Is the framing a commentary? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it's about finding beauty in the untamed. Makes you wonder where that stream goes, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I guess art opens more doors than it closes. Curator: Precisely! And maybe, just maybe, that’s the real beauty of it all.