Garden 1891

Curator: This is "Garden" by Denman Waldo Ross, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It's an oil on panel, roughly 35 by 25 centimeters. Editor: It’s overwhelmingly green! A vibrant, almost dizzying array of greens, punctuated by small pops of pink and yellow. Curator: Indeed. Ross was deeply invested in color theory, and his application here feels almost scientific, experimenting with the possibilities of hue and value. Think about the cost of certain pigments during his time. Editor: And the framing! I'm also struck by how this piece might be read in the context of the Arts and Crafts movement, valuing the handmade and challenging industrialization. Curator: Precisely! The visible brushstrokes and the very deliberate layering of paint demonstrate a clear emphasis on process. Editor: It certainly gives us a lot to think about regarding the art world's relationship to labor and artistic expression. Curator: It's a fascinating insight into the values of the time and how they manifested in artmaking.