Willowbrook c. 19th century

Editor: So this is "Willowbrook," by Joseph Foxcroft Cole, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels very pastoral and idyllic. What's your perspective on this work? Curator: I see a commentary on labor and the means of production within the rural landscape. How does the artist’s technique—presumably printmaking—relate to the depiction of agrarian life and the consumption of such imagery? Editor: That’s a great point. The printmaking technique and its accessibility surely impacted how this scene of rural labor was consumed. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about the economic context of both the image's production and its subject matter is crucial. Editor: I've learned so much, especially about considering the material conditions that shape our understanding.