A Farmhouse 

Editor: This is John Sell Cotman's watercolor, "A Farmhouse." It feels so tranquil and domestic. What strikes you most about it? Curator: I think it's important to consider the historical context. Cotman, active during a time of great social upheaval and industrialization, presents a rural idyll. Is this nostalgia, a longing for a pre-industrial past, or a commentary on the changing landscape and class structure of England? Editor: That’s a good point. The figures seem small and somewhat separated. Curator: Yes, the figures feel almost like afterthoughts. This could be a commentary on the diminishing role of the individual in the face of broader economic shifts, right? Editor: I didn't think of it that way before. Thanks for sharing that perspective!