A Foggy Sky 

Editor: Here we have John Frederick Kensett’s “A Foggy Sky,” a watercolor painting. The blending of the water and sky makes the whole scene feel vast and somewhat… unresolved. I’m interested in hearing what others take away from the landscape as well. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Looking at Kensett’s "A Foggy Sky," I see a careful consideration of material. Notice the fluidity afforded by the watercolor medium itself. How does the interaction of pigment and paper contribute to the painting's sense of openness? I also think it’s vital to see how the social and economic conditions in which art is produced inform the work's value and meaning. Consider how paintings like these entered private collections and shaped notions of landscape, ownership, and national identity in America. Does that give you a new lens for looking at it? Editor: Definitely. I hadn't thought about the literal materials as contributing meaning themselves, just as a means to an end. Now, considering it, the watercolor's airy quality does add to this feeling of expanse. I guess I had missed how materiality plays such a strong role. Curator: Right, it wasn't just a "style" he was after, but a representation and commentary using readily available materials like paper and watercolors and his representational methods. Editor: That’s given me so much to think about, looking at the choice of the artist through the perspective of materials. Thank you. Curator: It shifted my perspective too, realizing his medium amplified his message of the era.