Yellow Ochre 

Editor: This is "Yellow Ochre", from the Harvard Art Museums, manufactured by Tizian Color Co. It’s a simple jar of pigment, but I find it quite striking. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, on one level, it's a reminder of the industrialization of art. Pigments, once painstakingly sourced and ground, became commodities. What does that shift mean for the status of the artist? Editor: So, it's not just about the color itself, but about the changing role of the artist within society? Curator: Precisely. Consider the implications. The democratization of art materials, or perhaps, the de-skilling of the artist. Interesting, isn't it? Editor: It certainly is. I hadn't considered the social implications of pigment production before. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's a powerful reminder that art is always embedded in a social and economic context.