Tower and Buildings, Florence, Italy 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s "Tower and Buildings, Florence, Italy." It's a pencil drawing. The tower definitely feels like the focal point. What stories do you think this drawing tells? Curator: The tower's upward thrust symbolizes aspiration, doesn't it? Its presence, framed by the surrounding buildings, speaks to the enduring human drive to create monuments that connect us to something greater. Does it stir in you a sense of timelessness? Editor: Yes, definitely. The sketch-like quality almost makes it feel like a memory. Curator: Precisely. And consider how towers, historically, were both defensive and religious symbols. Ross might be tapping into that cultural memory, inviting us to contemplate Florence’s layered past. It's not just a building, it's a signifier. Editor: I see it now. It’s more than just a pretty picture. Curator: Indeed. Symbols speak volumes. Hopefully, you’ll never look at a cityscape the same way again!