The Swiss Alps at the Earl’s Court Exhibition 1887

Editor: This is Philip Wilson Steer's "The Swiss Alps at the Earl’s Court Exhibition." It feels like a memory, all soft edges and muted colors. What captures your attention most? Curator: Oh, the sheer artificiality of it all! Here we have an attempt to recreate the sublime, the majestic Alps, in, of all places, Earl's Court. But rather than lament the lost grandeur, Steer seems to revel in the charming pretense, don't you think? Editor: I do. I guess I expected something… grittier? I can see the humor in the artificiality now. Curator: Exactly! It's a gentle poke at our desire to package and consume experiences. A reminder that beauty can be found even in the most unexpected, slightly absurd, places. Editor: I like that much better than my initial impression. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It's always rewarding to find the wink hidden within the spectacle.