The Change 

Editor: So here we have Landseer's oil painting, seemingly titled "The Change," although the date is unknown. I’m really struck by the texture of the paint and how it gives volume to the horses. The details in the horse's fur especially stand out. What do you see in it? Curator: I see a narrative of class and labour. The painting showcases not just the aristocratic pursuit of hunting but also the invisible labor that makes it possible. Consider the costuming: the stark difference in materials, with the rider's bright red coat, expertly tailored, in sharp contrast with the groom's muted, worn attire, or the saddle against a plain blanket. Who made these items, and what were their working conditions? How were these colors created? Editor: That's a fascinating perspective. I hadn’t really considered that. So, you’re saying to look beyond the scene of leisure and toward the hands that actually produced these elements? Curator: Exactly! Even the horses themselves are products of labour; their breeding, training, and care all required a vast infrastructure of human effort. The dogs, too, were selectively bred for the hunt. What about the land it’s set on? Was this privatized for hunting, denying others access to the landscape’s resources? It makes one wonder, doesn’t it, about how all these layers of social stratification come together? Editor: It does! The painting now tells a richer, more complex story than I initially perceived, pointing towards the intricate web of resources and the labour intertwined in the creation and context. Curator: Yes, by examining these material and production realities, the work pushes us to interrogate those same societal power structures reflected in artistic patronage and consumption.