Longways Dance 

Editor: This is Thomas Rowlandson's "Longways Dance," currently residing in the Tate Collections. It's a delicate watercolor showing figures that seem almost caricatures. What story do you think Rowlandson is telling through these materials? Curator: Looking at Rowlandson's "Longways Dance", I'm drawn to the social context embedded in the materials. Watercolor, often seen as "lesser" than oil, signals a specific market. Consider the labor involved in producing those elaborate dresses—who made them, and under what conditions? Editor: That’s a great point, it certainly gives me a new perspective. Thanks! Curator: It's all about examining the means of production, isn't it? Fascinating, really.