Hampton Court View taken from the Garden Seat n.d.

Henry Edridge made this watercolor of Hampton Court in 1808 using paper, graphite, and translucent washes of pigment. Edridge was trained in the technique of portrait miniatures, so this work reflects a commercial imperative. It’s as though he's providing a portable version of Hampton Court for someone who would like to carry its image with them. The paper itself is quite thin, and the washes are deftly applied, indicating a professional’s practiced hand. The marks are quickly made, as if time is money, a commodity in the new world of industrial capitalism. What makes this work interesting is precisely the way Edridge’s attention to the site is filtered through a commercial sensibility, using the qualities of watercolor to achieve this, not attempting the monumentality of oil painting. By understanding the commercial intent, we can better appreciate how this relates to a new culture of consumption and leisure.