Designs for ?a Ceiling with Circular Central Panel, Fairies, Putti, &c. 

Editor: Here we have Thomas Stothard's "Designs for a Ceiling with Circular Central Panel, Fairies, Putti, &c." It looks like a collection of ideas sketched out, full of cherubic figures. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This sketch provides insight into the visual culture of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, reflecting a fascination with classical forms and the idealization of childhood. Think about the role of innocence in constructing social hierarchies at the time. How might these cherubic figures reinforce those hierarchies? Editor: That's a great question. I guess it highlights how even seemingly innocent imagery can be tied to broader social structures. Curator: Precisely. It makes you consider the politics embedded within aesthetic choices, doesn't it? I am so glad we came to the same conclusion.