List of Towns and Numbers; verso: blank c. 18th century

Curator: Here we have "List of Towns and Numbers," a page of handwritten notes by Joshua Reynolds. It’s undated, but it gives us a glimpse into his travels. Editor: It feels so immediate, almost like eavesdropping. The list, scribbled on paper, speaks to me of journeys and the practicalities of getting from one place to another. Curator: Reynolds, known for his portraits, was also deeply engaged with the symbolic weight of travel and place, often imbuing his portraits with a sense of the sitter’s journey through life. This list becomes a memento mori. Editor: I'm struck by the economy of it all. It’s just ink on paper, utilitarian. But it also speaks to the social context of travel in his era and the physical labor required. The distances feel so real. Curator: Absolutely. The act of writing, the record of passage, becomes a potent symbol of time and experience. Editor: Looking at it this way, it feels less like a simple list and more like a foundation upon which Reynolds built his understanding of the world.