Leaving Home c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Edward Goodall's "Leaving Home." It depicts a solitary figure overlooking a town, and feels quite melancholic. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a visual metaphor for displacement. Leaving home implies a severing of ties, and what sociopolitical factors might force such a departure? Is this a commentary on urbanization, the Highland Clearances perhaps? Editor: The Highland Clearances? I'm not familiar. Curator: It was a period of forced displacement of people from their ancestral lands in the Scottish Highlands. The image prompts us to consider the power dynamics inherent in the act of leaving, who has agency, and who is forced out. Editor: I hadn't considered the political context. I was focused on the individual figure. Curator: Art often operates on multiple levels, simultaneously personal and political. Considering those levels enriches our understanding. Editor: Absolutely, I'll remember to look for those deeper stories next time.