Affinities (II)

Imagine looking at two different works of art hung next to each other in a gallery. The first is a nineteenth-century landscape depicting brilliant autumn foliage; the second is a photograph of a dog completely covered in fall leaves. How does each work become more meaningful when compared to the other? Side-by-side comparisons of paintings, prints, and photographs spark ideas about their meanings, and students of art history often use a “compare and contrast” method to analyze works of art. In this small installation of works from Reynolda’s collection, including works by artists such as John Singer Sargent, William Wegman, and Fairfield Porter, visitors are invited to reflect on unexpected and surprising pairings.