Near Exeter 

Editor: This is "Near Exeter" by Sir Richard Colt Hoare. It's a delicate ink wash drawing, and I’m struck by how serene and untouched the landscape appears. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This landscape evokes the Picturesque movement, yet we must consider whose perspective is privileged here. The landed gentry, like Hoare, idealized these rural scenes, obscuring the realities of labor and land enclosure that dispossessed many. Does this idyllic view acknowledge the social costs of its creation? Editor: That's a really interesting perspective! I hadn't thought about who benefits from this representation of the countryside. Curator: Exactly. By critically examining whose stories are being told, and whose are omitted, we can challenge the romantic narratives that often dominate art history. Editor: I've certainly learned to consider the political implications of landscapes. Thank you. Curator: And I appreciate your willingness to engage with a more critical reading of the artwork.