Bay of Naples, Italy 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s watercolor, “Bay of Naples, Italy.” It feels like a postcard, capturing a fleeting moment. What's your take on the image's role in portraying Naples at the time? Curator: It’s interesting you see it as a postcard. Consider the rise of tourism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. How did artists like Ross contribute to constructing a particular image of places like Naples for a consuming public? Editor: So, it's less about raw observation and more about crafting a desirable narrative for viewers back home? Curator: Precisely. The soft hues and picturesque composition cater to a specific expectation of beauty and exoticism, reinforcing a romanticized view of Italy that tourists actively sought and then shared. Editor: That makes me rethink my initial perception of it as just a pretty scene. Curator: Exactly. Art is rarely just about what's on the surface, but what socio-political context dictates its creation.