[title not known] 

Editor: This watercolour painting, by Lady Susan Elizabeth Percy, depicts a waterside scene with trees and figures. It's a small piece, and the delicate washes create a very serene mood. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: I see a piece deeply embedded in the material conditions of its time. Percy, as a woman of her social standing, had access to specific materials and training. Consider the paper, the pigments – their sourcing and cost reflect a certain societal privilege, don't you think? Editor: That's interesting. So, it's not just about the scene depicted, but also about the means of its creation? Curator: Precisely. The very act of a lady engaging in watercolour painting speaks to a particular leisure and access to resources, influencing the way we interpret the work today. Editor: I never considered that angle before. Thanks, that gives me a new way to think about art!