A View across the Park, Chatsworth, Derbyshire 

John Burgess created this sketch of Chatsworth Park in Derbyshire, England, sometime in the mid-19th century. His delicate strokes capture the vastness of the landscape, a scene of serenity punctuated by the sharp verticals of sparse trees. As the Industrial Revolution transformed England, artists like Burgess found themselves at a crossroads. They captured the natural world with new appreciation as urban landscapes rapidly changed. This context brings into focus the depiction of Chatsworth, the home of the Duke of Devonshire, one of England's wealthiest landowners. The Park was sculpted by wealth and power, even as it appears to be an untouched vista. Burgess’ sketch, with its muted tones and quiet composition, becomes a statement on class and the land, reflecting on the profound social changes of his era. In its simplicity, it invites a moment of reflection on the complex relationship between the English landscape and the society that shaped it.