In Sicily c. 1897 - 1901

Curator: This is John Singer Sargent’s watercolor, "In Sicily," created somewhere around 1897 and 1901. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: A washed-out dream. It's a hazy landscape, almost monochromatic but not quite. I feel a bit lost in the hills, like the colors are dissolving. Curator: Sargent was quite fond of painting en plein air—capturing these landscapes directly in the open air, and this one captures the heat and quiet dustiness of the Sicilian countryside beautifully. It embodies the plein air impressionist tradition quite aptly! You know, this era was also when tourism began opening up many of these regions, especially to wealthy American and European travelers, Sargent included. Editor: Interesting! That definitely affects my reading of it now. The hazy light almost feels… staged? Like a travel advertisement for longing and the picturesque, if that makes sense. Like, I'm feeling like I SHOULD feel a certain way more than I’m genuinely connecting. I like the feeling of isolation conveyed, however; almost like an explorer finding untouched territory. Curator: It does. And if you consider Sargent’s broader output, often portraying society's elite, it's interesting to see him turn his eye towards the "common" landscape, the dusty rural area away from all that society glitz. What might he have been saying about societal priorities by portraying such landscapes? And for whom? His landscapes were far from radical but were equally critical works within his broader repertoire. Editor: You can see his interest in light is more about capturing a transient mood. And also, that quick application of pigment to evoke volume, space. There’s also the human impact on view - the roads, structures… We see that nature tamed and viewed as property to be explored. That being said, he's downplaying drama, making it about quiet contemplation. Curator: Exactly. What I find intriguing, and problematic perhaps, is its quietness and accessibility at a period rife with labor and socio-economic tensions that would define Sicilian society forever onwards. A loaded kind of peacefulness perhaps. Editor: So much contained within a seemingly gentle watercolor. Gives one plenty to ponder, I'd say. Curator: Absolutely. An artistic and societal record. One small painting holding an archive of time.