Whitby c. 1844

Editor: This is John Cousen’s "Whitby," a coastal scene held at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels very distant and dreamlike. What kind of social narratives do you think this landscape evokes? Curator: Whitby, a port town, becomes a stage. Who has access to these coastal spaces? Is this leisure, labor, or something else entirely? Consider the historical context; does the image reinforce or challenge power structures of its time? Editor: That's a fascinating way to think about landscape. I hadn't considered the power dynamics at play. Curator: Art often mirrors and challenges the world it inhabits. Asking those questions helps unveil complex relationships between art, identity, and society.