Gezicht op de Royal Exchange te Londen Possibly 1751 - 1758

Editor: This is "Gezicht op de Royal Exchange te Londen," or "View of the Royal Exchange in London," thought to be made sometime between 1751 and 1758, likely a watercolour illustration by Robert Sayer. The colours are so soft; it makes me think of a hazy, busy marketplace scene. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a representation deeply embedded in the mercantile and political fabric of 18th-century London. The Royal Exchange wasn’t merely a building; it was a stage upon which economic power and national identity were performed. Think about what it meant to depict this scene during the height of British colonialism. Editor: A stage for national identity, that's fascinating! How so? Curator: Well, the Exchange was a hub for trade, yes, but also for the exchange of ideas, news, and social standing. An image like this circulates and reinforces a vision of British prosperity and order. Note the architecture—imposing, neoclassical, deliberately echoing the grandeur of empire. Consider how this image might be used to project a sense of control and dominance, both domestically and abroad. Who might have been commissioning or consuming such images, and to what ends? Editor: So it's not just a pretty picture; it's an assertion of power? Curator: Precisely. Think about how these depictions, multiplied and disseminated, helped solidify a certain idea of London, and by extension, Britain, as a center of global commerce. What might not be shown in this seemingly neutral view? Editor: It doesn't show poverty, or the cost of that global commerce you mention, or the darker sides of colonialism... Curator: Exactly. It is important to remember the act of what to include and exclude in these pictures, as a presentation of cultural imagery to serve societal values. It is really thought-provoking how a seemingly straightforward cityscape can reveal so much about the values and power structures of its time. Editor: I never thought about cityscapes having that much social context! Thanks for opening my eyes.