Part of the Ruins of Walsingham Priory c. 1797

Editor: Here we have Thomas Girtin's watercolor, "Part of the Ruins of Walsingham Priory." It is very atmospheric, and the ruins really dominate the landscape. What’s your perspective on this work? Curator: Well, I see the artist's choice of watercolor as significant. It was becoming more readily available, facilitating a shift in artistic production and consumption. Think about the pigment production, the paper mills... how did that accessibility democratize art, and for whom? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't considered the materials themselves as being so central to the meaning. Curator: Exactly. Consider Girtin's audience, the growing middle class; did the ruins appeal to their aspirations or anxieties regarding history and social change? Editor: That definitely gives me a lot to consider when looking at this piece. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. Considering the social context illuminates this picturesque ruin.