Solitude 1814

Editor: Here we have "Solitude," an etching by J.M.W. Turner. The sepia tones create a rather melancholic mood. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Considering Turner’s social context, his landscapes often reflected the changing relationship between humans and nature during industrialization. How might the *process* of etching, a method allowing for reproduction and wider distribution, be connected to the commodification of nature itself? Editor: So, the act of creating multiple copies relates to wider economic shifts? That's really interesting! Curator: Precisely! Thinking about materiality and production in this way offers a new lens for understanding Turner's artistic choices and their broader social implications.