Popocatépetl, Cuautla, Mexico 1923

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's sketch of "Popocatépetl, Cuautla, Mexico." It looks like a preliminary drawing, a study maybe, in pencil. I find the skeletal lines quite stark. How do you interpret the artist's choice to capture this landscape in such a bare way? Curator: I see a connection to the land itself and those whose lives are interwoven with it. The Popocatépetl volcano holds deep cultural significance for Indigenous communities, representing a living entity. This sketch prompts us to consider how the artist engages with that history. Editor: That's interesting. So you're saying that the simplicity of the sketch might be a way of acknowledging that deep history? Curator: Precisely. What do you make of the vantage point - the bridge at Cuautla? Who had access to this view, and what does it signify? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It makes me think about access and perspective, and whose stories are being told. Curator: Exactly! It's a potent reminder to look beyond the surface and explore the complex narratives embedded within the landscape. Editor: I see. Thanks for pointing out the historical context of it all!