Intervale, New Hampshire 19th-20th century

Curator: Denman Waldo Ross presents us with "Intervale, New Hampshire," a landscape painting held at the Harvard Art Museums. Its dimensions are modest, only about 10 by 14 inches. Editor: It evokes a serene, almost melancholic stillness. The color palette is muted, predominantly greens and grays, which lends a contemplative mood. Curator: The composition emphasizes the interplay of vertical and horizontal lines, wouldn’t you say? Notice the stark verticality of the prominent tree against the broad horizontal sweep of the landscape. Editor: But within that formal structure, the painting hints at human presence, perhaps unseen labor. The cultivated fields, the suggestion of a road—it all speaks to a relationship between the land and its inhabitants. It also hints to the removal of Indigenous People and their relationship to the land. Curator: Ah, so you’re implying that we read this pastoral scene as an ideological construction? A subtle commentary on land ownership? Editor: Indeed. These seemingly idyllic landscapes often mask complex social dynamics and power structures. Curator: Well, perhaps. Though one could simply appreciate it as a study in color and form. Editor: Always a balance, isn't it? I find myself appreciating the interplay between our dual perspectives.