Landscape with Tower 19th-20th century

Curator: This is Denman Waldo Ross's small pencil sketch, "Landscape with Tower," which is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It feels so ethereal and ghostly. That tower looms like a watchful ancestor. Curator: Religious architecture is often presented this way, a constant in the landscape, subtly reinforcing cultural power dynamics. Consider how its presence intersects with gendered spaces and the suppression of alternative spiritualities. Editor: Yes, and visually, the spire is a classic symbol for aspiration, reaching toward the heavens, but also a phallic symbol of dominance. Curator: The artist’s handwritten “Where?” challenges our assumptions. Is it about geographic place or a deeper search for belonging? Editor: It leaves me pondering the endurance of symbols, even in the most delicate renderings. Curator: Indeed, a seemingly simple sketch opens up complex conversations about place, power, and identity. Editor: A valuable insight into how cultural memory gets visualized.