Philadelphia Museum of Art

Okay. I have a confession to make. I’m not a big fan of art museums. They’re often so cold and confusing. The stark white walls with paintings and sculptures that, most of the time, I can’t figure out.

So I can’t say that our trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art was the trip I was most eager to take. It was, however, a pleasant surprise! I didn’t feel lost in front of paintings of abstract concepts wondering what the artist intended for me to think or feel.  For the first time, thanks to our amazing guide, I felt comfortable and actually enjoyed standing in front of a painting and observing the details I wouldn’t have normally noticed. I even found one object in the museum that I wish I could hang on my wall at home.  It is a lithograph called “The Wonder” by John E. Dowell (2001), printed by Robert W. Franklin, and is presented as part of the Full Spectrum: Prints from the Brandywine Workshop exhibit.

This is number twelve of forty off-set lithographs printed. John Dowell uses images from nature, in this case an ocean and cliff scene, to “heighten the viewer’s sense of humanity” and “trigger moments of reflection and personal memories.” 

There is a label with a short description of the artist on the wall next to the print. The text mentions that the artist, John Dowell, uses symbolism and nature to trigger moments of reflection.  As a viewer looks at this print, they are guided by this text to reflect on their experiences and how they connect with the images in the artwork.  

In this particular print, the color teal provides a backdrop for a blue-hued heart with pink flourishes decorating each side. An image of the ocean and sky are placed in the center, rendering the heart broken.

This is one of many heart prints that Dowell has created. This particular heart, however, is the only one that appears to be a broken heart. This print is an important part of the Brandywine exhibition as it is a unique perspective of a landscape. Additionally, the broken heart serves as a tribute to the PMA’s late director Anne d'Harnoncourt. It was one of one hundred prints donated by the Brandywine Workshop in her memory.

This print is displayed on a wall near the other prints from the Brandywine Workshop. It is on a white wall inside a white box frame, elevating the glass from the print.  The white surroundings accentuate the colors found in the print.

Nearby items are other prints from the Brandywine Workshop. The topics of the surrounding pieces highly varied.  A nearby wall contains prints with political messages; another contains prints with depictions of American locales.  While these topics do not relate directly to the print I have chosen to write about, they prime the viewer to begin thinking about the messages intended by the artists.

A better understanding of offset lithography and techniques used to create lithographic prints would enrich my understanding of Dowell’s work. Additionally, the personal history of Dowell could lead to an understanding of the experiences that have shaped his perception of nature and spiritualism.

This object may not be appealing to those interested in photographs or paintings on canvas. This piece is very introspective and may be most appealing to those wishing to analyze the thoughts of the artist as opposed to reflecting upon their  feelings and memories.

I viewed this piece as a broken heart but this may not be the case for all viewers.  Some viewers may only see the peaceful ocean scene set inside the heart.  Others may focus on the way the pink flowers adorn the cliffs.  

Viewers could be better engaged with this particular piece if it were surrounded by the entire Heart collection. The viewer would be able to compare and contrast each of the pieces Dowell has created and, from them, experience a range of emotions and memories. 

John E. Dowell's complete Heart collection can be found here and the prints from Full Spectrum: Prints from the Brandywine Workshop can be seen here.