Belgian Landscape 

Editor: This is “Belgian Landscape,” a watercolor painting by Auguste Rodin, although the date is unknown. It has this incredibly dreamy, almost blurry quality to it. What do you see in this piece? Curator: What strikes me immediately is the artist's choice of landscape. Rodin is celebrated as a sculptor, known for his intensely physical forms. This watercolor is a marked departure and signals, perhaps, the rise of plein-air painting’s popularity amongst artists regardless of their training. What's interesting is considering the historical context: late 19th century, impressionism blooming, a period of huge social change. How does Rodin, primarily a sculptor, participate in and maybe even subvert these painterly trends? Editor: So, you see it as a conversation between sculpture and painting, and about Rodin placing himself within the art world of his time? Curator: Precisely. The ‘Belgian Landscape’ wasn't created in a vacuum. Consider also that artists often explored different media as a form of experimentation, as a way to refresh their vision and even, perhaps, challenge academic expectations that rigidly separated painting and sculpture. What statement might Rodin, a famous sculptor, be making by creating a seemingly effortless watercolor landscape? Is this a political statement about the hierarchy of artistic practices? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the politics of the medium itself. The light and airy watercolor seems so far removed from the solid permanence of Rodin's sculptures. Curator: Exactly. And this contrast prompts us to consider the public role of art at the time and the artist’s own position within it. Editor: So, seeing "Belgian Landscape" pushes us to think about Rodin's choices and the art world around him more broadly, questioning how we categorize artists and their work. Curator: Indeed. It reveals how even a seemingly simple landscape can open a window into understanding artistic dialogues and the socio-political landscape in which art is created and consumed.