The Triumph of the Duke of Wellington (sketch) 

Curator: Here we have "The Triumph of the Duke of Wellington (sketch)," by James Ward. Though the date is unknown, its dramatic flair places it firmly within the Romantic period. Editor: Wow, a whirlwind of horses, angels, and...demons? It feels less like a triumph and more like the apocalypse has been upgraded with a high-society carriage. Curator: Exactly! The sketch utilizes a historical lens through the Duke of Wellington. You’ve got allegorical figures swirling around him – Justice, Britannia. It aims to depict not just victory, but its cosmic significance. Ward is situating Wellington's triumphs within a much grander narrative, as something providential and inevitable. Editor: The sheer scale of everything, the drama… it’s so over the top! And is that a snake wrapped around a classical column? This piece really captures a specific moment in British history, and turns it into an operatic spectacle! How interesting, also, is the role of the white horse! Curator: This piece reflects the public’s perception of Wellington and war through popular imagery and commemorative objects in the period. There was certainly political weight in portraying Wellington as almost divinely guided. This would have solidified narratives of British superiority, casting his victories as necessary and righteous on a cosmic scale. Editor: Thinking about Wellington sitting pretty in his chariot, the real people, you know, in the war? It’s jarring. But there is power in a piece so unafraid to be big and ridiculous. I still cannot unsee the angel in all of this! It brings to mind, even in the history, that the best art should evoke feeling. Curator: That is exactly where the painting succeeds – making visible and emotionally real for the public complex power dynamics. The triumph becomes a shared belief. Editor: Leaving me to think maybe triumph isn't just a fact, it's a story we tell ourselves.