View of Certosa di Val d'Ema 1887

Curator: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "View of Certosa di Val d'Ema," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a pencil drawing. What strikes you first? Editor: It's ephemeral, like a memory fading. The bridge dominating the foreground seems less permanent than the Certosa itself, perched atop the hill. Curator: Ross's choice of pencil allows for incredible detail while maintaining a sense of immediacy. Notice the layered strokes; they build up the form of the buildings and the bridge's wooden structure. Editor: The Certosa, traditionally a Carthusian monastery, carries heavy connotations of isolation, devotion, and learning. The bridge is a symbol of connection, but here it looks fragile, temporary. Curator: Indeed. Ross might be commenting on the changing landscape, the encroachment of industry on religious life. Or perhaps, the bridge is a symbol of commerce and connection, bringing labor and materials to the monastery. Editor: Ultimately, Ross’s perspective creates a powerful meditation on time, faith, and human endeavor. Curator: I agree, and looking closely at the materiality gives us a glimpse of the labor that underpins everything.