Tivoli c. 1890 - 1900

Curator: Sobering! There's something melancholy in the stark rendering, like a faded memory clinging to the page. Editor: Today we're examining "Tivoli," a watercolour and colored pencil sketchbook drawing attributed to Samuel J. Beckett, dating roughly between 1890 and 1900. It showcases a distant cityscape, perhaps a fortress or temple, crowning a cliff above cascading waterfalls. Curator: Yes, the architectural forms—simplified yet meticulously rendered—reveal an acute interest in the relationship between man-made structures and the sublime natural setting. The delicate strokes really guide the eye. Editor: Indeed. Think of the materiality: Beckett worked on aged, toned paper, probably a personal sketchbook. These aren’t the materials of a commissioned piece, it's about casual labor and artistic study. Curator: Notice the restricted tonal palette – creams and greys which lend the illustration a timeless feel. It's devoid of the vibrant hues we associate with watercolour. What is your assessment of its symbolism? Editor: The falls, I think, are key. They're not just a scenic element, but they are illustrative of water, of flow, and of constant material change eroding even the built form—a silent commentary on impermanence. Curator: Yes, the juxtaposition certainly poses a rather potent, dare I say binary, narrative: civilisation precariously perched over nature’s relentless forces. Editor: More than forces, Beckett captures natural processes as everyday. With readily-available paper and pencil he makes "high art" and site seeing one-in-the-same. Curator: An intriguing point about democratising artistic labour... perhaps he captures beauty’s precarity. Editor: A poignant summation. Perhaps “Tivoli” demonstrates the interpenetration of the historical with our surroundings—a reminder that both our structures and materials are susceptible to constant metamorphosis. Curator: Nicely put. An unassuming artwork that evokes far reaching intellectual notions... food for thought.