Rangeley Lake and Lake Molly Chunk-a-muuk, Maine Possibly 1878

Editor: This drawing, titled "Rangeley Lake and Lake Molly Chunk-a-muuk, Maine," is by Benjamin Champney. It's a delicate pencil sketch, and I’m struck by its raw, almost unfinished quality. What story does it tell you? Curator: For me, it speaks to the materiality of landscape and the labor involved in its representation. The pencil, the paper, the very act of sketching *en plein air* connect us to Champney's physical experience and the resources he utilized. Editor: So, you're less focused on the scene itself, and more on how it was made? Curator: Precisely. How does the immediacy of the sketch, versus a finished painting, alter our understanding of landscape art and the artist's role? It opens questions about commodity. Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. I never considered how the materials used could be so central to understanding the artwork's message. Curator: Considering the means of production offers insight into the artist's world and challenges the traditional art-historical emphasis on the aesthetic alone.