The White Bridge after 1895

Curator: John Henry Twachtman, painting here, after 1895, his view of "The White Bridge". Editor: Wow, what a dreamy landscape. It feels so soft and ethereal, almost like looking at a memory. Is that light a product of his impasto work? Curator: It very well could be! He was definitely working en plein air, I would argue. Twachtman used short brushstrokes and a high-key palette, very characteristic of American Impressionism. He favored scenes around his home in Connecticut, specifically the Horseneck Brook. This intimate, everyday focus is what gives his work that gentle, personal touch. Editor: I appreciate you flagging his subject's personal context. Considering his time, could that landscape be seen as resisting urbanization? Like, a statement of preservation? And does this bridge function like a sort of access point to nature that still privileges white experience and movement? Curator: Hmmm, that’s a question isn't it. We definitely want to be aware of how landscapes can imply those issues. For Twachtman, I sense a deep emotional connection with nature, so, I’m thinking he was trying to capture the subjective experience of being in that space, less about the wider political landscape. Editor: Fair. Even if unintentional, though, these paintings contributed to forming American cultural identity. That naturalization is precisely what Impressionism offers here; not as art for art’s sake, but for solidifying national myths. Curator: And, of course, Impressionism does leave things unsaid in those rapid-fire brush strokes. His choice to veil the scene in atmospheric effects definitely lends itself to projection. We fill in what’s left unpainted, based on what's accessible to us, don’t we? Editor: Absolutely. It demands we critically assess our positionality in these spaces – literal and representational. So, thank you for unpacking some of that for me! Curator: The pleasure’s all mine!