A Castle on a Hill 

Editor: This is David Cox's "A Castle on a Hill," currently in the Tate collection. The way he's layered the washes, it almost feels like I'm looking at woven fabric instead of watercolor. What strikes you about it? Curator: Notice how Cox uses inexpensive materials here: paper and readily available pigments. This democratizes landscape painting, moving it away from grand oil paintings commissioned by the wealthy. What does it suggest to you about Cox's intended audience and the social function of this kind of art? Editor: It feels like he's trying to make art accessible, something for everyone, not just the elite. Curator: Exactly! He's challenging the established art market by embracing humble materials and a subject matter that resonates with the everyday experience of the burgeoning middle class. Editor: I hadn’t considered the materials in that light before, but it really changes how I see the work. Curator: It emphasizes how art is not just about the image, but about the whole process of production and who it serves.