Windmill 

David Cox made this watercolor painting of a windmill sometime in the early 19th century. The materials are humble – paper, pigment, water – but the scene they depict speaks to broader shifts in the means of production. Notice how Cox has captured the rough texture of the windmill’s brick and wood. With loose, gestural brushstrokes, he suggests the building's sturdy construction, contrasting it with the delicate sails reaching skyward. Windmills like this one were vital cogs in the pre-industrial economy, harnessing natural power to grind grain and drive other processes. They represent a moment of transition, before steam engines and factories fully took over. The painting isn't just a pretty picture; it's a record of a specific technology, and of the labor required to build and operate it. Paying attention to the materials and subject matter in Cox's "Windmill" helps us see beyond the surface, appreciating the historical context and the relationship between art, industry, and everyday life.