Breakneck, Highlands, New Hampshire 1860

Editor: This is "Breakneck, Highlands, New Hampshire" by Sanford Robinson Gifford. It's a graphite sketch, and I’m immediately struck by the vastness of the landscape despite its small scale. How do you interpret this work within the context of its time? Curator: Consider the Hudson River School. Artists like Gifford helped shape a national identity through landscape. These weren't just pretty pictures; they were promoting a specific idea of American grandeur and, implicitly, justifying westward expansion and its socio-political impacts. Does knowing that change your perspective on the work? Editor: Definitely. I hadn't considered the role of art in promoting expansion. I suppose I saw it as a neutral depiction of nature. Curator: Precisely. Art is rarely neutral. Understanding its cultural context helps us see its active role in shaping society. Editor: I'll definitely keep that in mind going forward. Thanks!