Plate XVI c. 19th century

Editor: This is Plate XVI by Johann Caspar Nepomuk Scheuren, from the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like an etching of three sailboats on calm water. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: Consider the period. Scheuren, working in the 19th century, presents a seemingly serene waterscape. But whose serenity are we seeing? Who has access to leisure and travel? Think about the social and economic structures that made scenes like this possible, and for whom. Editor: So, it’s not just a pretty picture, but a reflection of the social inequalities of the time? Curator: Precisely. The image acts as a mirror to the society that produced and consumed it. Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective on what I’m looking at. Thanks!