Pembury Mill c. 19th century

Editor: This is Charles Turner's "Pembury Mill," an engraving. It's got such intricate detail, capturing this busy scene with the mill and all the workers. What stands out to you? Curator: The labor! Look at the composition, how the mill's structure itself is foregrounded, emphasizing the means of production. Consider the social context: what materials are being processed? Who are the laborers involved, and what is their relationship to the final product? Editor: So, you see the focus on the work itself as the main subject? Curator: Precisely. The materiality of the mill, the wheel, the goods being transported – it all speaks to the economic activity and social structures of the time. What is consumed and what are the working conditions? That's what intrigues me. Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective to consider. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's about seeing the art within the work, the process within the image.