This talk will explore the unique aspects of Two Owls at Sunset, an American landscape painting that was made during a time of turmoil in the mid-19th century. Created by an unidentified artist, the work was painted at a time of deep partisan conflict in our national history, and amid the burgeoning development of environmental conservationalism. It is an eerie, quiet meditation on what it feels like to be on the precipice of great loss. Curatorial intern Saffron Hooper Sener will think through with attendees about how the painting chooses to commemorate grief and beauty.

This talk is part of Gray Area, a new series that features members of our curatorial staff exploring artworks that capture the complexities of humanity, political landscapes, ethics, ideologies, power dynamics, and critical thinking in our times. Through this series, we hope to encourage people to observe and consider their own individual gray areas, and to think about how their unique experiences guide the choices they make.