A Farm Horse 

Editor: This is John Sell Cotman's "A Farm Horse," housed at the Tate. It's a simple pencil sketch, but I feel a sense of the animal's weariness in its posture. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It speaks volumes about labor and the socio-economic conditions of the time. Consider the agricultural revolution and its impact. How does Cotman portray the horse not just as an animal, but as a symbol of exploited labor? Editor: So, you're saying it's more than just a drawing of a horse. It's about the system behind it? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to examine our relationship with animals and the ethics of labor within capitalist structures. Does it change your initial impression? Editor: Absolutely, it makes me think about the horse’s role in society, not just its physical form.