Landscape, Naples, Italy 19th-20th century

Curator: Here we have a watercolor titled "Landscape, Naples, Italy" by Denman Waldo Ross. It resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the serenity, that soft, almost dreamy quality. The colors are so light and airy. Curator: Yes, the scene is composed with what seems to me a rather deft simplicity, layering that suggests distance and depth. The trees, the buildings, the water, the mountains... it's all carefully placed. Editor: I love how the blue of the water sort of melts into the sky. It almost feels like the buildings are floating. Is it just me, or does that distant pink mountain remind you a bit of the Romantic era? Curator: Perhaps you're onto something! It's as if the artist captured not just a landscape, but a mood—a wistful, almost nostalgic echo of history. Editor: Absolutely. It’s a beautiful reminder of the weight of time in a place like Naples. Curator: It’s a wonderful glimpse into a scene that, like us, contains so much more than what is visible on the surface.