Bob Apple 

Editor: So, here we have "Bob Apple," by Frederick Morgan. It appears to be an oil painting and depicts a mother with her children picking apples. The way she's gathering apples, while one of the children is literally biting at the fruit, seems so joyous and speaks of abundance. What catches your eye about it? Curator: The focus on the labor of harvesting is key here. Note the emphasis on the *act* of gathering—the woman reaching, the basket filling. This shifts the focus away from idealized notions of the rural idyll and asks us to consider the process of production and consumption. Who benefits from this labor? What is the destination of the harvest, the basket of material that will fulfill an end that we, the spectators, will not witness? Editor: That's an interesting take! I hadn't considered the implications of the labor. Curator: Also consider the materials themselves. Oil paint, readily available during Morgan's time, allowed for a certain level of realism and detail in capturing textures and light. The rosy complexions, fabrics and apple surface— all rendered using materials that reflect advancements in industrial pigment production and accessibility for even artists specializing in more sentimental genre subjects. Do you think Morgan considered the socioeconomic ramifications that gave rise to mass produced oil paints? Editor: Hmm, I’m not sure, but perhaps, through the materiality of the artwork, there may have been an attempt to bridge that gap, to create value beyond the immediate sentimentality. Curator: Exactly! It brings the realities of production and consumption, as well as how artistic vision shapes how these products come into being, right into the viewers’ space. Editor: It’s much more complex than just a cute scene now! Curator: Yes. Seeing art through its material processes provides insight beyond just aesthetic preferences. Editor: Definitely food for thought. Thank you.