Havre de Grâce, engraved by W. Miller 1836

Editor: This is "Havre de Grâce," an engraving by W. Miller after Clarkson Stanfield. I’m struck by the contrast between the imposing architecture and the small figures bustling about. What stories do you think this image is trying to tell? Curator: Considering the era, we might ask: whose stories are being centered and whose are being erased? The grand structures often signify colonial power, and the bustling figures, likely laborers, may be obscured in the narrative of progress. How does the port setting itself contribute to this understanding of trade and exploitation? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. So, the image becomes less about a picturesque harbor and more about the mechanics of power? Curator: Exactly. It invites us to think critically about how seemingly benign images can perpetuate historical inequalities. These scenes of maritime activity were central to discourses of nationalism and empire, so let's look closer! Editor: It’s fascinating to consider the layers of meaning hidden within what appears to be a simple landscape. Thanks for broadening my perspective.