[title not known] 

Curator: This delicate etching, whose title is not definitively known, is the work of John Baptist Malchair, born in 1731. It resides in the Tate Collections. Editor: It's quite small, and very textural. It almost looks like a quick notation, the way the trees are rendered. A fleeting impression of the countryside. Curator: Malchair was known for his landscape drawings, often depicting the changing face of Oxford and its surroundings. This piece reflects that interest in local scenery. Editor: I see the labor in the landscape – the fence, presumably erected by someone. How does that influence the reception of the natural world here? Curator: It speaks to the complex relationship between humanity and nature, a subject explored by artists throughout the 18th century. Editor: It's compelling to consider the physical act of etching, the materials used to translate the landscape onto the plate. It brings a focus on both the landscape and its human impact. Curator: Indeed, it provides us with much to think about in how we view art's relationship to the world around us. Editor: A fine landscape, it leaves one pondering what Malchair thought about the society reflected in it.