Huts Near the Sea n.d.

Thomas Monro created “Huts Near the Sea” using brush and gray wash over graphite. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Britain was undergoing the enclosure movement, which privatized common lands, displacing many rural communities. Monro, as part of the British upper class, represents these huts with a picturesque aesthetic, reminiscent of an idealized rural life that was quickly disappearing. Note how the scene evokes a sense of tranquility, yet the landscape is absent of people. Monro’s artistic choices reflect the cultural values and power dynamics of his time. The subdued palette and soft brushwork create a hazy, dreamlike quality, distancing the viewer from the socio-economic realities of the people who lived there. While the image may appear to be a simple landscape, it invites us to consider the complex relationship between art, social change, and the representation of marginalized communities.