Two Coaches with Passengers 

Editor: This is Paul Sandby’s "Two Coaches with Passengers," held at the Tate. It’s a quick pencil sketch, almost like a fleeting memory. I wonder about the symbolism of travel in this period. What stands out to you? Curator: The coaches themselves are potent symbols. Think of them as mobile social stages. Notice how the passengers are arranged – some exposed, some hidden. What do you think that signifies about social visibility and class? Editor: Perhaps the open coach represents a certain boldness, a willingness to be seen, while the closed one suggests privacy and perhaps higher status? Curator: Precisely. And consider the parasol. What does it protect from, and what does it signify about the person holding it? It’s all about curated visibility, a performance of self. Editor: That makes me see how every element, even a simple parasol, is laden with meaning! Thanks, that was insightful. Curator: My pleasure. Every mark carries a story, if we learn to read the symbols.