Below Fawn's Leap, Catskill Mountains; and Above the Bridge 1866

Editor: This is Andrew Fisher Bunner’s "Below Fawn's Leap, Catskill Mountains; and Above the Bridge," created in 1866 using pencil. It's a very delicate pencil sketch; it has an ephemeral, almost dreamlike quality to it. What strikes you most about the formal qualities of this work? Curator: I am drawn to the intrinsic interplay between light and shadow, and how Bunner exploits the monochromatic scale of graphite. Notice the careful gradations used to define form; this imbues the depicted landscapes with a sense of volume. The composition's upper and lower registers invite comparison—consider how the upper image foregrounds distance through recessive layering. Does the bridge in the lower study offer an assertion? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered how the two compositions invite you to consider the contrast between depth and, like, material construction. The bridge appears much closer than the river below the Fawn’s Leap. Could you tell me how the visual composition influences our reading of this work? Curator: Indeed. Observe how Bunner employs linear perspective in the upper portion to create depth, then how he positions solid, nearly geometric shapes in the foreground of the second composition. He constructs each scene around visual elements, line, value and texture; not storytelling or emotion. What emerges for you when examining Bunner's utilization of pencil alone to render these complex natural environments? Editor: Thinking about how little color there is makes me appreciate the subtle gradations even more, especially in how the light reflects off the water. I definitely see now how Bunner is inviting a deeper look at the art of landscape and materiality. Curator: Exactly. Through careful assessment, one might start to discern more broadly his structural considerations. The simplicity belies, upon deeper inspection, his formal engagement. Editor: Well, thank you for providing a direction to sharpen my interpretive strategies.