Chepstow Castle, Wales from the River Wye 1830 - 1860

Lilburne Hicks created this pencil and graphite drawing entitled, "Chepstow Castle, Wales from the River Wye." Castles carry complex histories, symbolic of both power and vulnerability, and often tied to colonial narratives. This image prompts us to consider how the British landscape itself has been shaped by centuries of political and social change. The figures in the boat offer a glimpse into the social fabric of the time. Hicks likely captured a scene of leisure, hinting at the class dynamics that afforded some the opportunity to engage with the landscape in this way. The very act of depicting Chepstow Castle becomes a way of possessing it, turning it into a commodity for consumption. Hicks' drawing invites us to reflect on how we participate in the ongoing narrative of place and identity, and to consider whose stories are being told.