The Barge c. 1882 - 1883

Editor: Here we have Seurat's "The Barge" from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small drawing, but the composition feels really powerful, almost haunting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Notice how Seurat uses the black crayon to evoke a sense of mystery. The barge itself, almost a silhouette, suggests a journey, perhaps even a passage into the unknown. Consider the cultural memory of rivers as liminal spaces, boundaries between worlds. Does this resonate with your initial impression? Editor: Definitely. It feels like a border between something and nothing. Thanks, that's a new way for me to look at his work. Curator: Indeed, and by understanding this, we are reminded of the symbolic meaning of the landscape, and how it can be used to evoke deep emotions.