Landscape, Malaga, Spain 1895

Editor: This is Robert David Gauley's "Landscape, Malaga, Spain," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The colors are so soft, almost pastel. What do you see in the way this landscape is rendered? Curator: Look at the layering of the watercolor. The materiality suggests a rapid, almost industrial, application. How might the accessibility and affordability of this medium have influenced Gauley's process, and, in turn, the wider consumption of landscape art? Editor: That's a good point. I never considered how materials shape the art itself. Curator: Exactly. This watercolor isn't just paint; it's a reflection of the means and social context of its production. Editor: I'll definitely look at art with a new perspective now. Thanks!