View in Radnorshire 1776

Thomas Jones, who was born in 1742, painted this atmospheric landscape of Radnorshire. It's a view that captures a sense of place, but also something deeper about the relationship between the individual and the land. During Jones's time, landscape painting was often tied to ideas of national identity and ownership. However, Jones, who was Welsh, offers a perspective that seems more personal and less about grand narratives of empire. The rolling hills and expansive sky evoke a feeling of solitude and contemplation, perhaps even a sense of longing. Think about what it meant to be Welsh in the 18th century, on the fringes of British power. How might that inform Jones’s vision of the landscape? In a way, it's a quiet assertion of cultural identity. It encourages us to consider how our sense of belonging is shaped by both our personal experiences and our connection to place.