Souvenir c. 1863

Curator: Adolphe Appian, born in 1818, created this piece entitled "Souvenir," held at the Harvard Art Museums. It evokes a somber mood, doesn't it? Editor: Indeed. The composition, with its muted tones and the stark, almost skeletal windmills, creates a palpable sense of melancholy. The lines are so meticulously etched; they seem to vibrate with a quiet intensity. Curator: I think the choice to depict windmills is especially potent. Windmills represented progress, but, from another perspective, can also stand in for a kind of futile labor—turning and turning, often for the benefit of a select few. Editor: That's a fascinating point. Considering the socio-economic implications of milling and labor at the time, one could interpret the windmills as symbols of both exploitation and ingenuity. Curator: Precisely! Appian's perspective is really interesting. His landscapes frequently highlight figures on the margins of industrial society. Editor: I see now how the structural elements support that—the reflection on the water really creates a kind of unsettling doubling. This image, though small, is really layered. Curator: Absolutely, and considering the time, this "souvenir" speaks volumes about power, memory, and the overlooked aspects of progress. Editor: A powerful intersection of form and context—an unexpected and evocative piece.