Landscape, Granada, Spain 19th-20th century

Curator: Denman Waldo Ross painted this lovely watercolor, Landscape, Granada, Spain. The dimensions are roughly 10 by 14 inches. Editor: It’s incredibly vibrant, almost aggressively so. The colors feel like they're competing for attention, a playful jostling for space on the page. Curator: It’s interesting you say that. Ross was deeply interested in color theory and the idea of "color harmonies," almost mathematical equations for the eye. Perhaps he sought to capture not just the place, but also the feeling of being overwhelmed by the landscape. Editor: The red field in the midground strikes me as symbolically important. Red can signify passion, energy, or even sacrifice. Maybe it represents the heart of the Spanish landscape, its raw, untamed spirit? Curator: I see your point, though knowing Ross, he was likely thinking more about the placement of that red field in relation to the cooler greens and blues, orchestrating a visual symphony, if you will. Editor: Still, even in its formal elements, the painting evokes a sense of layered symbolism. The earth rendered in strokes of red and green, the sky barely present: to me it speaks of the intense, sun-baked character of the region. Curator: I adore how a simple landscape can trigger such varied responses and interpretations, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. Each brushstroke is a little portal.