Norwich Castle, Norfolk 1784

Curator: This is "Norwich Castle, Norfolk," a print by an unknown artist from the British School, part of the Tate Collections. Editor: It feels imposing, doesn't it? The castle looms, almost prison-like, despite the figures strolling in the foreground. Curator: Castles often functioned as symbols of power but also control, and Norwich Castle, a Norman structure, held significant political weight. It represents a history of conquest and Norman control in the region. Editor: And the print itself—the stark lines and the way the sky is rendered—speaks to the limitations and conventions of the medium, almost like a coded language of its own. Are we meant to consider the figures at the bottom as complicit in the castle's history? Curator: Perhaps. The figures, rendered so small against the castle's bulk, do seem to underscore the power dynamic. The print becomes a mirror reflecting social structures. Editor: Yes, it all hints at the layered history embedded within the image, and how symbols evolve and persist.