Trees in a Romantic Landscape 1930

Curator: Johann Walter-Kurau's "Trees in a Romantic Landscape," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a fascinating look at early 20th-century landscape painting. Editor: There's such a raw, almost violent energy in the application of paint; the thick impasto gives the trees and rocks a tactile presence. Curator: Indeed, it seems the artist is less concerned with precise representation and more interested in capturing the emotional weight of the scene. The monochromatic palette only enhances that mood. Editor: I am more intrigued by that very fact - the lack of a rich color palette to create the romantic mood. What does the means of production and the materiality of it, then, tell us about the social context? Curator: It reflects a broader shift in artistic values. We see a move away from academic polish toward more immediate and expressive forms, embracing a subjective engagement with nature and landscape. Editor: So, a rebellion of sorts, using simpler materials to convey complex emotions? I see that now and think the rough texture and lack of color actually amplify the feeling. Curator: Precisely. It certainly gives one pause to re-evaluate romanticism. Editor: A somber, yet powerful, landscape. I think I understand better the raw impact of materiality now.