Sunset at the Strait of Belle Isle 

Editor: William Bradford’s painting, "Sunset at the Strait of Belle Isle," bathes the seascape in the warm glow of the setting sun. The composition has a peaceful yet grand quality, with boats sailing towards that light. What do you find most captivating about this artwork? Curator: Ah, the Bradford! It pulls me in with its almost dreamlike quality. The Romanticism here is palpable. It's like a memory, slightly faded but intensely felt. Look at how the light refracts off the water, almost mimicking the brushstrokes of the sky. You can feel Bradford wrestling with capturing the sublime - the overwhelming power and beauty of nature. Does it make you think about anything in particular? Editor: I am reminded of travelling and seeking those perfect, fleeting moments of natural beauty. Curator: Exactly! And think about what it meant to travel to places like the Strait of Belle Isle in the 19th century. It wasn't a casual weekend getaway! There was something very purposeful and maybe even spiritual about seeking out these untouched landscapes. There is no precise year attributed to the work but I bet you could guess that this piece was worked ‘en plein air’? Editor: It does give me that feeling! The immediacy is striking. Curator: It absolutely does! Bradford's trying to bottle that light, the atmosphere, the feeling of being utterly dwarfed by the vastness of the ocean. It reminds us, doesn't it, that art can be a really potent way of preserving a feeling, not just a scene. Editor: I see what you mean. It is an emotional keepsake as much as it is a seascape. I’ll carry this feeling with me when I view more artwork!