Window on the North Side of Burnham Ulph Church, Norfolk c. 1815

Editor: Here we have John Sell Cotman's "Window on the North Side of Burnham Ulph Church, Norfolk," a pencil drawing from around 1815. It feels… intimate, like a stolen glance at a secret history. All those lines suggesting the rough texture of the stone! What captures your attention most about this piece? Curator: You know, it whispers of time itself, doesn’t it? I love how Cotman uses such sparse lines to evoke the weight of centuries. Look at the way the light catches the arched window frame—almost like a halo, hinting at the sacred space within. It’s more than just architecture; it’s a vessel of memory, isn't it? What feelings rise up in you when you consider that broken pane in the window? A tiny, yet important detail! Editor: Well, there’s a definite sense of decay, a sort of gentle collapse, but not in a sad way. Maybe acceptance of time moving on? Like the building is breathing. Curator: Exactly! And isn't that just life reflecting art... reflecting life? These old churches, they were witnesses, weren’t they? Of joy, sorrow, everything under the sun. Cotman, with his simple pencil, invites us to join that witness. He gets down to the essence of our collective experiences. Editor: It definitely makes me want to hop in a time machine and just... sit in that church. I guess art can do that. Curator: Oh, absolutely. And next time you feel yourself on that kind of adventure, maybe bring a sketchbook with you, and let *your* pen dance, too. Who knows what secrets *you’ll* unearth? Editor: Maybe I will. This makes me look at these buildings in a different way! Curator: Isn’t it marvelous what a single line can reveal? It just makes the present all the more richer when we've visited a bit of the past!