Landscape with Country House c. 19th century

Editor: This is David Cox's "Landscape with Country House," a watercolor piece. It has a very loose, almost dreamlike quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider how Cox’s rapid brushstrokes depict not just the scene but the very act of seeing it. The lack of detail shifts our attention to the materiality of the paint itself. In what social context was such a focus on the artistic process possible? Editor: So, you're suggesting it's more about the labor and the materials than the landscape itself? Curator: Precisely. Think about the rising middle class and their increasing access to art materials. Cox is less interested in representing an idyllic scene and more in exploring the means of its production and dissemination. Editor: That's a completely different way to see it! I was focusing on the house. Curator: By looking at the brushstrokes, we uncover so much more. It changes how we look at what defines art.