View of Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight 

Editor: This watercolor is titled "View of Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight" by Edward Dayes. It's got such a tranquil, almost melancholic feel. What can you tell me about how this image was viewed at the time it was made? Curator: Certainly. Dayes was working within a tradition of topographical art. These images were often commissioned as records, but also shaped perceptions of landscape. Did such images encourage tourism, perhaps, influencing the economic and social development of these coastal areas? Editor: So it's not just a pretty picture, it also shaped the way people interacted with that landscape! I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Exactly! The politics of imagery are always present. It's fascinating to consider the agency of these images. Editor: This has really changed my perspective on landscape art. I'll never look at a pretty view the same way again!