Landscape with Road and Buildings 19th-20th century

Curator: Immediately, I'm struck by the painting's ethereal quality, a dreamlike feel. Editor: That's an interesting reaction to Denman Waldo Ross's "Landscape with Road and Buildings." It’s part of our collection here at the Harvard Art Museums, oil on canvas, roughly 43 by 35 centimeters. Curator: Yes, the paint application! See how Ross builds up texture, almost crust-like in places? It makes me wonder about the production of these pigments, the socio-economic context of their availability. What sort of workshop produced these hues? Editor: A good point; but also note the subtle shifts in tonality. The way he contrasts warm and cool colors creates depth and visual interest. It's a masterclass in formal arrangement. Curator: I’m most interested in the labor that went into this piece: the ground pigments, the weaved canvas. Editor: Fair enough. Yet, after taking it all in, I admire the composition and how the light and shadow describe the planes. Curator: And I'm struck by the unseen labor that made this art possible. Editor: Well, I've appreciated your perspectives here.