["Council of War on board the 'Queen Charlotte', commanded by Lord Exmouth, prior to the Bombardment of Algiers, 26 August 1816", 'Four Episodes during the Presence of the Anglo-Dutch Fleet in the Bay of Algiers, 26 to 27 August 1816'] 1818

Curator: This watercolor and painting, created by Nicolaas Baur in 1818, presents "Council of War on board the 'Queen Charlotte', commanded by Lord Exmouth, prior to the Bombardment of Algiers, 26 August 1816," alongside depictions of the subsequent four episodes. It is quite a mouthful, isn't it? Editor: Yes, it certainly evokes a heavy weight. It looks as if Baur has rendered an immense operation as delicately as possible, with a restrained, muted palette. Like history held in suspense. Curator: He's working in the Romantic style, which often emphasized emotional impact, the sublime, and, of course, historical narratives. Note how the sheer number of boats and ships, the swarming figures, speak to the scale of this event. Consider what it took to assemble such a fleet at this moment. Editor: I find it fascinating that watercolour, traditionally associated with lightness, is employed to depict something so fraught. These ships were constructed, piece by piece, likely with forced labor at some level, and each of those boats are full of people caught up in the gears of history and geopolitics. There’s a tangible relationship between labor, resources, and conflict that strikes me. Curator: And all that just hanging in the air – that sort of heavy premonition before conflict. Do you feel it? Editor: Absolutely. The softness and gentle rendering does not distract from the immense destructive potential implied here. And for me that tension between execution and subject makes this painting truly compelling. Baur's hand transforms political maneuvering and naval might into this ephemeral, yet somehow concrete, impression. Curator: Indeed, an uncanny blend of delicate artistry with the weight of historical significance. Thanks for lending your eye, focusing our awareness not just on *what* is painted, but *how* it was achieved. It gives us much to contemplate about labor, resources and history making here, which sometimes is as seemingly fragile as watercolours on paper, and others… Editor: Yes…Others heavy as these massive ships constructed to destroy, aren’t they?