Augt 15th. Conway Castle 

Editor: So, this is "Augt 15th. Conway Castle" by Thomas Sully, done with watercolor and tempera in a plein-air style. I’m struck by its dreamy, almost nostalgic feel. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Ah, Sully! He whispers stories, doesn’t he? This feels like a fleeting memory captured in watercolor, a half-remembered dream of Conway Castle. Notice how the details soften and fade with distance, almost like trying to grasp a feeling that slips through your fingers. The Romanticism shines through with that delicate rendering. Editor: It does! The hazy atmosphere, too. What about the figures? They seem so small in comparison to the landscape. Curator: They do, don’t they? Insignificant, perhaps? Or maybe integral – a reminder of our place within the grand scheme, this awesome vista? It almost poses a question – what’s your place? And is the castle their creation? And yours, and mine? Perhaps this balance is less contrast and more cohesion; they complete the story of place. Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought of it that way. They seemed so detached to me. Curator: Perhaps, and does the painting suggest other stories for these groups of figures? Perhaps those stories would contrast? The human endeavor, though the scene invites reflection – how interesting is that to witness? It appears still, silent. What is being witnessed here? Editor: Hmm, I am just now taking in the full implications of stillness in plein air paintings. So, what began as a kind of scene or moment, in a specific day – ends as a statement. Wow. Curator: Exactly. The ephemeral nature of capturing light, and how we can hold light with pigments, just amazing. A very fine piece.