Rustics with Sheep and Goats in a Rocky Landscape c. 1844

Editor: This watercolor, "Rustics with Sheep and Goats in a Rocky Landscape" by Samuel Palmer, feels both idyllic and a little melancholic. The sheep almost blend into the rocks. What stories do you think Palmer is trying to tell here? Curator: Palmer’s landscapes often romanticized rural life, but it’s essential to consider the social context. What did "pastoral" imagery represent to an increasingly urbanized 19th-century British audience? Was it a nostalgic escape, or a reflection of existing social hierarchies? Editor: So it's not just about pretty scenery, but about the politics of representation? Curator: Exactly. Think about who had access to these images, and what values they reinforced. It gives us a richer understanding. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered before. Thanks!