Peak Castle, from the Bay of Funchall c. 19th century

Curator: "Peak Castle from the Bay of Funchall" is the title of this print by John Pye the Younger, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The grayscale palette lends it a somber tone. What strikes you first? Editor: The weight of that castle pressing down on the town below is overwhelming. It’s less a beacon of safety and more a symbol of looming power. Curator: Indeed. The printmaking process itself involves considerable pressure and manipulation of materials. Consider the labor involved in reproducing this image, making it accessible to a wider audience than a painting ever could. Editor: And the castle itself is a powerful symbol across cultures: protection, authority, but also isolation. Is it a religious or political authority presiding over the bay? It’s quite ambiguous. Curator: Perhaps that ambiguity reflects the social landscape of the time. The making and consumption of these images were tied to colonial aspirations and the projection of British power, even in picturesque scenes. Editor: I see, so the symbolism isn't isolated to the image itself. It extends into the very act of creating and distributing it. Well, that gives me something to think about! Curator: Precisely. It’s a reminder that art is always entangled with the world around it.