Flowers on stairs 

Editor: Here we have Stefan Luchian's "Flowers on Stairs," a painting that looks to be in oil. It has a bright, almost dreamlike quality, like a fleeting moment captured. I’m curious, what aspects of this painting really stand out to you? Curator: For me, it's about understanding Luchian's use of materials within a specific context. Look at the thickly applied paint. Doesn’t it mimic the physicality of gardening, of planting and cultivating? And consider the humble, terracotta pots – are they mass produced items? Or were they handmade objects, reflecting an individual artisan's labor? Editor: That's an interesting take. I hadn’t considered the actual pots themselves. It made me focus more on the blossoms at first, rather than the grounded labor aspect. Curator: Exactly. The "high art" of Impressionist painting intersects with the "low art" of craft and manual labor. The materiality of paint evokes the earth, and the steps perhaps suggest a transition. It's worth wondering what resources would be available to a working painter during this period to be able to create artwork outside or at home, depending on their situation and resources. Editor: So you see the materials and their origin, almost as a social commentary? Curator: Partly. It challenges the traditional hierarchy separating art from craft. The ready-made paint, the found objects like common pots...they democratize the artistic process. Editor: It’s funny; I see the beauty, the finished artwork, and you immediately deconstruct it to reveal the process. Curator: It's about acknowledging the means of production, revealing the human effort, and its reliance on material culture. Editor: Thanks for that perspective! Now I can appreciate how Luchian elevated everyday objects through the simple act of painting. Curator: And, hopefully, start to consider our role as consumers in the arts, and the lives impacted in its production.