Sketches ?for an Illustration for the ‘Surrender of Calais’: Groups of Various Figures, Captives, Etc. Verso: Sketches of a Couple Embracing 

Curator: This drawing, housed at the Tate, is titled "Sketches ?for an Illustration for the ‘Surrender of Calais’: Groups of Various Figures, Captives, Etc." by Thomas Stothard. It dates to around the late 18th or early 19th century. Editor: It feels like a whirlwind of emotions captured in fleeting lines. The figures seem burdened, almost ghostly. Curator: Stothard was known for his history paintings, and this sketch relates to the historical event of the Surrender of Calais. We need to consider what that surrender meant within the narrative of British history and national identity at the time. How would its audiences have understood power, defeat, and reconciliation? Editor: Absolutely. And looking at these huddled figures, I wonder about the individual stories of those impacted by conflict. It’s a study in vulnerability and the loss of agency. Curator: I agree; Stothard's sketch offers a glimpse into the complexities of human experience amidst historical upheaval. Editor: It makes you think about the cost of war.