View of Sarnen c. 18th century

Curator: This is François Denis Née's "View of Sarnen," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has a rather subdued palette and a somewhat dreamlike quality, almost like a memory. Curator: The image captures Sarnen, Switzerland, likely through a lens shaped by Enlightenment ideals of nature and exploration. How does it speak to notions of place and identity? Editor: The meticulous linework and tonal variations construct a very deliberate, almost idealized landscape. It's less about raw nature and more about structured observation. Curator: Indeed, and consider the context of travel and documentation in the 18th century, especially in relation to class. Who had access to these views, and what did they represent? Editor: Seeing this has provided fresh insight into the piece, and it has me thinking of how it sits within the picturesque tradition. Curator: Exactly! It invites us to reconsider the power dynamics inherent in landscape art.