Bone Yard 19th-20th century

Curator: Dodge Macknight's watercolor, "Bone Yard," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, presents an oddly vibrant scene of bleached trees against a clear blue sky. Editor: My first thought? It’s like a sun-drenched dreamscape. A bit ghostly, with those pale, skeletal trees, but strangely cheerful, too. Curator: The title hints at mortality, doesn't it? The trees are like bones, remnants of life, but the lively colors – that vivid turquoise sky – suggest renewal. Death and rebirth intertwined. Editor: Exactly! Think of the bare tree as a symbol across cultures – from Yggdrasil to the Bodhi tree. It’s about knowledge, interconnectedness, and cycles. Macknight paints a hopeful ending, not just stark loss. Curator: I’m struck by the simplicity. The watercolor is almost childlike in its directness, which amplifies its powerful message. Editor: A cheerful, thought-provoking memento mori—that’s how I would describe this. Curator: I agree, I think it is a fascinating example of the artist's skill.