A Knight and Cupid Before a Castle Door 

Editor: This watercolour is called *A Knight and Cupid Before a Castle Door*, by Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale. The juxtaposition of a heavily armoured knight with a very casual Cupid is rather intriguing! I wonder, what does this combination suggest to you? Curator: It's a fascinating composition! Considering the era in which Fortescue-Brickdale was painting, around the turn of the 20th century, these allegorical subjects often reflect societal tensions. What role do you think the figure of the knight, with his romantic yet undeniably martial presence, is playing in relationship to Cupid and his castle? Editor: Well, Cupid standing on the horse seems rather cheeky, but what does he symbolise? I can't help but assume he represents love! Curator: Indeed. But love takes many forms, doesn't it? Fortescue-Brickdale’s placement of Cupid might suggest how concepts of love were evolving alongside, or perhaps even in opposition to, more traditional, hierarchical structures – structures the knight likely represents. It is set at a Castle door...do you see any other symbolic visual clues? Editor: Those scattered white bones at the bottom of the painting! And that ominous closed door to the castle? They evoke a sense of obstacles or dangers, don't they? Curator: Precisely! Consider the role of exhibitions during that period. Pieces like this weren't just art, they were part of a public dialogue. They negotiated evolving views on morality, power dynamics and even emerging female artists within this milieu. What social role might this image have played back then? Editor: Perhaps it was about the changing relationships between social ideals, traditional structures, and evolving social norms? It feels a lot more complex when viewed through a historical and institutional lens. Thank you. Curator: Exactly. And recognizing those tensions provides deeper context. Perhaps this painting asks not just about love, but its power to challenge the status quo.