Landscape 1892

Editor: Here we have Edgar Degas’s *Landscape* from 1892, a drawing rendered in coloured pencil. I’m immediately struck by its ethereal quality, almost dreamlike. What’s your take on this piece, considering the social and historical context? Curator: It's fascinating how Degas, known for his scenes of Parisian life, dancers and the like, turns to landscape towards the end of his career. The impressionists, while seemingly focused on surface appearances and light, were often engaged in deeper questions about modern life and its relationship to nature. Given that this piece dates to 1892, well into the height of Impressionism and modern urbanism, I wonder if this landscape represents a turn away from, or a meditation upon the burgeoning industrial world? Do you think the artistic circles Degas engaged with may have spurred this change of subject? Editor: That’s an interesting point. He spent so much time capturing dancers, which feels very of-the-moment, so I hadn’t thought about this as potentially a conscious choice. But considering what you said about impressionists exploring more existential themes, this landscape seems to evoke an earlier romantic interest in sublime landscapes. Curator: Precisely! Now, looking at Degas's method, coloured pencil was, even in 1892, an easily portable, commercially produced art supply. Do you think his selection of a "low" art medium allows this work to sidestep institutional demands for what constitutes "high" art? Could this almost be seen as a quiet act of artistic rebellion against expectations, or as art made when he couldn’t make other art? Editor: That's really interesting to consider, particularly how he uses the medium. It's so different from what was going on in academic settings. Thanks, I see how considering the history helps give the artwork greater depth! Curator: My pleasure. The medium certainly makes this work fit into larger social contexts that makes it even more interesting to examine.