Capriccio: St Paul’s and a Venetian Canal c. 1795

Editor: So, William Marlow's "Capriccio: St Paul’s and a Venetian Canal" is quite the architectural fantasy. It's disorienting seeing London's cathedral transported to Venice. What's your take on this imagined space? Curator: Marlow’s capriccio reveals the power dynamics embedded in cultural appropriation. Venice, often romanticized, is here a stage for British ambition, St. Paul's symbolizing colonial power projected onto a foreign landscape. How does this juxtaposition make you feel? Editor: It feels…assertive, almost like a claim. As if London is saying, "We can be here, too." Curator: Precisely. Marlow isn't just painting pretty buildings; he's visualizing a complex relationship between identity, place, and dominance. Considering this, does the painting’s beauty still hold the same appeal? Editor: It makes me think about the stories we tell through art, and who gets to tell them. Thanks for making me think about this piece differently. Curator: My pleasure. Art always reflects power; our job is to decipher its language.