Design for R. Pollard’s ‘The Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland’; Matthew de Johnson Defeating the Earl of Douglas and Taking his Brother the Earl of Ormond Prisoner: A Border of Fighting Figures. Verso: Similar Design, Flanked by a Standing Female 

Curator: This is Thomas Stothard's "Design for R. Pollard’s ‘The Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland’; Matthew de Johnson Defeating the Earl of Douglas and Taking his Brother the Earl of Ormond Prisoner: A Border of Fighting Figures." The support measures 64 by 155 mm. Editor: It's faint, but even in this state, there’s a raw energy. The flurry of bodies hints at the brutality inherent in constructing national narratives. Curator: The rapid sketching captures movement, but what interests me is the intent. This was a design for a printed book, so questions of mass production and accessibility are important. Editor: Exactly. Who were these images for? To reinforce ideas of heroism, nationhood, and, crucially, hierarchy. The struggle depicted is not just martial, it's ideological. Curator: And what means of production were used to create these images? Was there some sort of etching? Editor: Absolutely. It's a reminder that even seemingly celebratory historical depictions can uphold unequal power dynamics. I think the material reality gives the image a whole new resonance, doesn't it? Curator: Agreed, this piece invites us to consider the narratives, the means of distribution, and the social forces that shape our understanding of the past. Editor: Indeed, it's about whose stories are told and how they're told to further construct national identity.