Garden of the Tuileries, Paris 1893

Editor: Here we have Denman Waldo Ross’s watercolor, "Garden of the Tuileries, Paris." The washes of color give such an airy feel. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: The visible brushstrokes and the very thin, almost diluted paint are crucial here. It's less about representing the Garden and more about the act of applying these materials. How does this contrast with, say, academic painting of the time? Editor: It feels almost unfinished, less concerned with perfection. Curator: Exactly! It challenges traditional hierarchies, elevating the process and inherent qualities of the paint itself. This focus shifts value from the subject to the labor and materiality. What do you make of that? Editor: I hadn't considered it that way, but it does feel quite radical in its own subtle way. Curator: Indeed. It makes you reconsider the value we place on artistic skill versus the simple act of making.