[inscriptions not by Turner] 

Editor: This intriguing piece, "[inscriptions not by Turner]" by Philip James De Loutherbourg, features some handwritten inscriptions. It's quite small. What do you see in these notations? Curator: I see a record, a trace. It reminds us that art isn't created in a vacuum. The notations – seemingly administrative or locational references like "Llangollen" – whisper of the social and economic structures that supported landscape art in the 18th century. Who was cataloging these, and why? What does it mean to consider Turner's absence here? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't thought about the cataloging process itself as a reflection of societal values. Curator: Exactly! By acknowledging these "inscriptions not by Turner," we challenge the romanticized myth of the lone artist. We must consider the unseen laborers and systems of power that shaped artistic production. Something to consider further, I think.