A Couple Seated among Trees above a Lake c. 1870

Editor: Alfred Bellet du Poisat’s drawing, "A Couple Seated among Trees above a Lake," created around 1870, uses humble materials—pencil and charcoal—to depict a surprisingly grand landscape. There’s a sense of serenity but also perhaps isolation in this piece. What strikes you most about this drawing? Curator: For me, it’s the conscious artistry behind the so-called natural scene. The means of production reveal much: pencil and charcoal, readily available, suggest a democratized approach to artmaking, breaking down barriers. The very act of drawing, repeatable and accessible, undermines notions of artistic genius tied to singular, masterful creations. Notice how the artist carefully crafts this image, and uses labor to assemble a picture that may appeal to the eye. Editor: So, you're focusing less on what the scene depicts and more on how it was made, and what the process reveals about access to artmaking? Curator: Precisely. Consider the implications of depicting a "couple" amidst this landscape. Who were these people? Were they members of the bourgeoisie, enjoying leisurely time in nature? By exploring class, labor, and leisure through this depiction, we unravel broader societal conditions and consumption patterns in landscape art. The materiality of the artwork becomes inseparable from its social context. Editor: That's fascinating, how you link the physical materials and the act of creating to social structures. I tend to get caught up in the image itself, missing those connections. Curator: It requires questioning what is presented as natural or given. Whose labor created the paper? Who had the luxury to spend time creating images of landscapes? It really urges one to think about accessibility and affordability of art production. Editor: Thinking about it that way really shifts my understanding. I will now consider the work in front of me differently and think about labor and access to art as well as just the final image. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. There are many roads in the history of art. It can all be tied to social realities.