Harlech Castle, North Wales 

Editor: This is John Sell Cotman’s etching, "Harlech Castle, North Wales." The stark contrast between the ruined castle and the wild landscape creates a dramatic effect. What do you see in this depiction of Harlech Castle? Curator: Cotman's print comes at a time of intense national self-reflection. How does the ruin of the castle play into ideas of British identity and history being promoted in the visual arts at the time? Does it suggest a romantic view of the past? Editor: That makes sense. It's like the castle is a symbol of history, but also of change. Curator: Exactly! And consider the role of printmaking itself. It allowed for wider dissemination of such imagery, shaping public perceptions of history and the landscape. Editor: So it's not just about the castle itself, but how this image of it circulated and what it meant to people then. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about!