9. Landing of Capraea 1778 - 1779

Editor: This watercolor is by John 'Warwick' Smith, called "Landing of Capraea." It feels like a classical landscape, but the composition is really interesting. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a romanticized vision of nature, typical of its time, yet I also wonder about the implied narratives. Who are these figures landing, and what does their presence signify in relation to this landscape? Is it about claiming space, or something else? Editor: That's a great point. I didn't even consider the power dynamics at play. Curator: Exactly. By understanding this image within the framework of colonialism and early tourism, we can really start to unpack the politics of representation embedded in it. Editor: I'll definitely look at landscapes differently now. Thanks!