Study of Lilies c. 1915

Editor: Here we have William B. Post’s "Study of Lilies," circa 1915, housed right here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It’s a beautiful, sepia-toned photograph… very ethereal, almost like a dream. What leaps out at you when you look at this? Curator: Well, isn't it interesting how Post captures a world where the tangible sort of dissolves? I feel I could almost dive into it... Does it seem like a memory, half-remembered? The soft focus feels very deliberate, pulling us away from harsh reality into something… softer. It’s Pictorialism at its finest, aspiring to be more like a painting than a simple record. Are you catching that artsy, handcrafted vibe? Editor: Definitely, it almost doesn't look like a photograph! More like a watercolor. The way the lilies seem to just float… Curator: Precisely! And the monochromatic palette, so gentle… It nudges us to focus on light, texture, emotion. It makes me wonder about Post himself – did he find solace in nature, a refuge from the bustling modern world? What do you reckon his intention might have been? To stir something, maybe? Editor: I'd guess so. He wanted us to stop and smell the lilies, maybe even find a bit of peace in them too. Curator: And isn't it fantastic how a simple image of lilies can whisper such complex ideas? It's a testament to the power of seeing beyond just what's there, of feeling instead of just observing. Editor: I completely agree. It makes you realize there’s always a story to be found, even in something as simple as a lily pad. Curator: It really does, doesn’t it? Almost like Post left the beginning of the story for us, but it is up to us to write our ending.