Sunset 

Curator: Herzog's "Sunset" really catches the eye, doesn't it? The play of light across the mountains and the still water... it's just breathtaking, a moment captured perfectly. Editor: My first thought? Subdued. It's all gentle pinks and grays, so serene, almost melancholic. The scale looks considerable too, from the photo at least, evoking a sense of nature's immensity. Curator: It is remarkable how Herzog has captured the fleeting, ethereal quality of the light with oil paint on canvas. He had the peculiar gift for showing these scenes in that "romantic" manner, wouldn’t you agree? The delicate gradations create an atmosphere that pulls you right in, doesn't it? Editor: Well, the "romantic" style really serves to disguise what went into making it: the pigment production, the sourcing of canvas, not to mention the artist's own labor and the tools required for plein-air painting. These landscapes obscure their production through an emphasis on nature, beauty, and the sublime. Curator: Perhaps. But think about that solitary bird overhead. It’s more than just nature or "style;" it is a gesture that gives flight to your thoughts; it encourages meditation. This wasn’t simply slapped on with haste, you know? Editor: I do. And I think understanding the work that has gone into it enriches our perspective: we become more aware of what these beautiful natural environments have provided to manufacture an image like this. Looking at how he applies the oil paint—in thin layers, I imagine—also invites us to think about the raw materials and the techniques. It is far from simply a vision of the sublime. Curator: Fair point, looking closely certainly provides you with the ability to admire the layers of craft and art on the whole. Even so, to me it sings of the timeless beauty and profound emotional resonance of landscapes in a style all its own. Editor: Indeed, to recognize it is still a romantic depiction produced with oil paint is valuable.