Kidwelly Castle, South Wales c. 1810

John Varley made this watercolor painting of Kidwelly Castle in South Wales sometime in the early 19th century. Castles, like the one seen here, represented a very specific kind of British history that was of increasing interest at the time. This image presents a man who appears to be a traveler, and he’s dwarfed by the imposing structure in the background. Romanticism tended to focus on the individual and their relationship with the natural world. Here, nature is both beautiful and overwhelming, placing humanity in a humbling context. Varley was a leading figure in the Old Watercolour Society, an institution that helped to elevate watercolor painting to the level of the Royal Academy’s oil paintings. This movement was part of a broader trend of British artists seeking to establish a distinct national identity through landscape painting. The study of art history involves understanding the institutions and cultural values that shape both artistic production and our interpretation of art.