Writing School, Christ's Hospital n.d.

Frederick MacKenzie made this watercolor painting of the Writing School at Christ's Hospital. The medium itself, watercolor, offers a soft, translucent rendering of the scene, quite unlike the rigid discipline that the image portrays. Notice how the artist used the fluidity of the watercolor to depict the architectural space. The long lines of desks receding into the distance and the light streaming through the tall windows give the impression of an orderly, well-lit space dedicated to learning. The artist has carefully captured the textures of the wooden furniture, contrasting them with the smoother walls and ceilings. There is also an element of social commentary here: this is a scene of mass education, meant to instill not just knowledge but also a certain kind of civic-mindedness. The repetitious activity and uniformity in the depiction of the students are clues of the labor and politics involved in the educational process. Thinking about materials, making, and context allows us to look beyond the immediate aesthetic appeal of the artwork and consider its deeper social and cultural significance.