Jason Appointed Tiphys the Stargazer 

Editor: So, here we have Edmund Dulac's watercolor and drawing, "Jason Appointed Tiphys the Stargazer." It has such a dreamy quality with the starlit sky. I’m struck by the stylized boat. What’s your take on it? Curator: Let's look at that boat. It's clearly not a historically accurate vessel. It's more like a stage prop, carefully crafted with an almost theatrical attention to decorative details: the swirling motifs, the watchful eye. Consider Dulac's training as an illustrator; these aren't merely aesthetic choices. The making of the boat in a very deliberately stylized and constructed way serves to frame and underscore the artificiality, a narrative crafted for consumption. How does this choice shape our understanding of the mythical subject matter? Editor: That’s fascinating. It pushes me to think about this image as a product, not just of Dulac’s imagination, but of his labor, the decisions he made to bring this specific vision to life. The material process becomes really important. Curator: Precisely. Think about the materials themselves. Why watercolor, why drawing? These were, historically, often seen as lesser materials compared to oil painting, which had ties to academic prestige and powerful patrons. What statement does Dulac make, consciously or unconsciously, in elevating these 'humble' materials to depict a grand historical scene? Is it about accessibility, perhaps a broader audience, or even a commentary on artistic hierarchies? Editor: It kind of democratizes the story, right? Makes it feel less like high art, more like accessible visual storytelling. Curator: Exactly. The materiality points toward an attempt to flatten the art world's hierarchies through production means, challenging how value is assigned. Editor: I’d never considered looking at a mythical painting this way. I'm seeing how much the 'how' something is made impacts the 'what' it means! Curator: It changes the whole picture, doesn’t it? Hopefully, it’s a perspective you will carry forward.