[title not known] 

Curator: At first glance, it feels remarkably simple. A small, possibly preliminary sketch, with the inscription "Copperworks, Swansea". Editor: Indeed. This piece, currently without a title, is an intriguing work on a modestly sized support, roughly 80 by 120 millimeters. It comes to us from the hand of Philip James De Loutherbourg, who lived from 1740 to 1812. Curator: "Copperworks, Swansea"... the starkness of the words against the blankness of the page evokes a sense of industry and labor, but also an emptiness, a desolation perhaps. I sense the Industrial Revolution, but robbed of its heroic narrative. Editor: Precisely! During the late 18th century, Swansea was becoming a hub for copper smelting. This sketch likely reflects De Loutherbourg's interest in capturing the changing landscape, and the socio-economic forces at play. It's not just about aesthetics, it's about documenting transformation. Curator: Perhaps De Loutherbourg felt the weight of this industrial growth. I’m drawn to the starkness, it's as if the absence speaks volumes. Editor: It leaves us to ponder the relationship between industry, place, and representation in a time of great change.