Grandchild Reading c. 19th century

Editor: So, Walter Geikie's etching, "Grandchild Reading," portrays an intimate domestic scene. It feels very staged but at the same time really intimate and genuine. How would you interpret this image, especially considering its social context? Curator: This image, while seemingly sweet, speaks to the power dynamics inherent in literacy and education. Who has access to learning, and how does that shape their future opportunities and social standing? Consider the figures: the attentive grandparents, and the child immersed in the book. Editor: Are you suggesting that access to education wasn't equal back then? Curator: Exactly! Geikie's work invites us to question the systems that create such disparities, reflecting how knowledge has historically been a tool of empowerment or oppression. And still is, to some extent. Editor: That definitely gives me a lot to think about. Thanks! Curator: Yes, seeing art through a contemporary lens really changes things!