Tunbridge Wells 1822

Curator: Looking at "Tunbridge Wells," a sketch by Lady Susan Elizabeth Percy, who lived from 1782 to 1847, I’m struck by the delicate use of line to depict a lively social scene. Editor: It’s fascinating how the artist captures movement with such a restrained palette. There's a real sense of a bustling public space, yet rendered with very simple materials. Curator: Indeed. Tunbridge Wells was a popular spa town, and Percy's work offers insight into its social dynamics and leisure activities. Think of the materiality of sketch – the paper and ink, readily available to someone of her class. Editor: And how her class positioned her to observe and document such gatherings. The sketch itself is part of the larger history of depicting leisure and public life, mirroring similar scenes produced for a viewing audience. Curator: The availability of these materials, combined with the social expectation for women to engage in artistic pursuits, shaped her production. It’s about more than just the aesthetic; it’s about the labor and the context of its creation. Editor: Absolutely, and it prompts us to consider how social structures influence not only artistic creation, but also the institutions that collect and display such works today. Curator: So, in a way, examining the work illuminates the means by which these objects enter our cultural heritage. Editor: Precisely! It's about the politics of display, who gets remembered, and how the art world reflects and perpetuates certain social narratives.