[inscriptions not by Turner] 

Curator: This intriguing slip of paper at the Tate is inscribed, “[inscriptions not by Turner]”, attributed to Philip James De Loutherbourg. The words "Iron foundry near Swansea" are written in simple ink. Editor: There's an immediate documentary feel, a raw notation. It evokes the transformative period of the Industrial Revolution and its imagery. What do you think it represents? Curator: Iron foundries were the heart of change, and in art, fire held symbolic weight. Think of the alchemical transformation, the power and danger of those early industrial spaces. Editor: Absolutely, and Swansea’s development hinged on this very industry. How might this image represent both technological advance and the environmental impact? Curator: That’s a complex question. Perhaps this is more about capturing a moment than a moral judgement. It's the quiet record of a place, a time. Editor: Indeed. Its sparseness challenges us to imagine the fiery drama against the serene paper. It makes you wonder about that foundry near Swansea.