Mill at Saint Bénin 

Curator: Stepping in front of "Mill at Saint-Bénin" by Auguste Herbin, the geometric structures immediately capture your eye, don’t they? Editor: Yes, the oil paint has a raw quality to it, very intentional. I find myself drawn into the deconstruction of form. It looks like he started with an observed scene but wanted to explore beyond representation. What do we know about the historical context? Curator: Herbin, working roughly at the outset of the Cubist moment, began a shift from post-impressionism, developing a visual language of fractured planes and simplification. What interests me is how the subject, seemingly pastoral, is conveyed using these almost manufactured blocks. Editor: Absolutely. Knowing that cubism challenged the established order within the Parisian art scene really enriches how I view pieces such as this. Did this experimentation help change how art was consumed, and the subjects that might be considered appropriate? Curator: I’m compelled by that consideration. The repetitive forms – how each shape contributes to a sense of place and motion in spite of themselves. Were these pieces intended to make art available, relatable, or understandable across a broad population? Editor: That’s the paradox isn’t it? These movements pushed art in novel directions but were not always celebrated by a broader audience immediately. Over time though, as institutions adopted pieces such as this, a landscape transformed by industry is validated, preserved. Curator: Precisely. Reflecting on "Mill at Saint-Bénin", I can't help but consider how it has shaped our view of landscape within the art historical narrative, its contribution as material form... Editor: And I consider the historical implications this deconstructed image has on shaping perceptions of the modern, developing world in museums, even today. Food for thought.