Castle above the Meadows c. 19th century

Curator: Turner's "Castle above the Meadows" presents us with a landscape seemingly suspended between eras. What’s your immediate impression? Editor: Melancholy, like a sepia-toned memory. The castle looms, yet the foreground feels so much more alive, like time is marching away from that old monument. Curator: Castles often symbolize power and permanence, but Turner blurs the distinction between human construction and the natural world. It speaks to the transience of even the most imposing structures. Editor: Yes, the castle may seem permanent, but it’s literally being swallowed by nature. Maybe that’s the power of the image – everything returns, eventually, to the earth. Curator: Perhaps, it is a reminder of nature's persistent influence, a cycle of destruction and renewal. Editor: A potent reminder, indeed. Something to ponder as we move on.