[no title] 1978

Curator: This work, by John Piper, captures a landscape sketch from Snowdonia. There’s a raw, almost unfinished quality to the line work. Editor: The somber palette really sets a tone. It evokes a certain rugged grandeur but also a sense of isolation. The rocks feel like ancient guardians. Curator: Absolutely. Piper was very much engaging with the Picturesque tradition here, transforming the British landscape into a stage for national identity. Editor: The image feels very grounded in its place, but also timeless. The rough textures and layered forms—do they reflect the area’s history, perhaps the toil of industry? Curator: Very likely. Piper's works often navigate between romanticism and the realities of industrialisation's impact on the landscape. Editor: It is a powerful meditation on place and time, a reminder that even in beauty, there's an echo of struggle and change. Curator: Indeed, Piper gives us not just a landscape, but a history written in stone.