Sunrise, Whiting Fishing at Margate c. 19th century

Editor: This is Thomas Goff Lupton’s "Sunrise, Whiting Fishing at Margate." It's a beautiful etching with incredible detail, even if undated. It has a wistful, almost melancholic mood to it. What do you make of it? Curator: Oh, I find it rather luminous! The light, you see, it's not just depicted, it’s almost felt. Lupton really captures that liminal space between night and day. Do you see how the boats are silhouetted? Editor: Yes, they create such a striking contrast. Curator: Exactly! They are dark against that emerging light. It is all about capturing that transient moment, isn't it? It feels so…fleeting! Editor: I agree, it makes you think about time and how quickly it passes. Curator: Absolutely. It is about the ephemerality of existence. A rather sublime and somewhat sad dawn.