The Spirits of Dead Cities 1886

Editor: This is Félix Buhot's "The Spirits of Dead Cities," and it's housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Looking at the textures and line work, it feels like a dreamscape. What stands out to you? Curator: The means of production interest me. Notice the etching technique and the plate's materiality. How does this medium influence the message about the "spirits" and the city as a site of production and consumption? Editor: So, the act of creating it, and the materials used, add another layer to the meaning? Curator: Precisely. Consider Buhot's labor, the acid, the metal. These elements shape the ephemeral spirits. It makes one wonder about the labor that built those "dead cities," doesn't it? Editor: I never thought about it that way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Considering art through the lens of materiality provides such a rich understanding.