Hills of Ardgour 

Editor: Here we have "Hills of Ardgour," a watercolor drawing by David Young Cameron. It's quite ethereal; the pale washes of color give it a dreamy quality. What story do you think this piece is trying to tell? Curator: Well, viewing it through a historical lens, landscapes in the Romantic era often functioned as national symbols, tied to ideas of identity and place. Consider how the Scottish Highlands became a key symbol of Scottish identity, particularly after the Highland Clearances. Editor: That’s interesting. I never thought about landscapes in that context. Curator: Does Cameron, who was Scottish, participate in or perhaps subvert this visual vocabulary, using misty washes instead of the sharper outlines in topographical images that sought control by classifying and cataloguing? Is he representing Scotland through this romantic, almost wistful gaze, and if so, what social function did that romanticization serve? What impact did this romantic imagery have on, say, tourism or land management policies? Editor: I see your point about how landscapes can be tied to social narratives. I was focusing on the dreamy aesthetics, but now I'm wondering what the cultural significance of the specific location – Ardgour – might have been. Curator: Precisely. A work like this isn't just about the "hills"; it’s a socio-political document masked as a pretty picture, implicated in larger structures of power. What this reminds me of is… Editor: That’s a new perspective. Now, looking at the misty quality, I also want to look into whether this was also related to a wider romantic trend… Thanks! Curator: Exactly, understanding that will enrich your perspective, considering who commissioned them and where they were displayed…