The Kyles of Bute 1893

Editor: So this is Charles Parsons' "The Kyles of Bute," and it's oil on canvas. The way the light hits the water is just stunning. What's your take on this painting? Curator: Consider the socio-economic context. Maritime activity depended on wind. The yacht is clearly leisure, but the other boats hint at labor. Note also how Parsons meticulously renders the atmospheric effects, the materiality of light itself becomes a subject. How does this interplay of labor and leisure speak to you? Editor: That's fascinating, I hadn't considered the class implications. I'll definitely look at Parsons' work differently now. Curator: Exactly, material conditions shape even our appreciation of beauty.