A Roadside, Leigh 1834

Curator: The Tate presents William James Müller's wash drawing, A Roadside, Leigh. Editor: There’s a haunting quality to this sepia landscape, it feels burdened by the weight of the trees that dominate the scene. Curator: Müller was fascinated by nature. Given his short life, he used his time to document the English countryside, just before industrial expansion changed it irrevocably. Editor: Observe how the trees lean away from the figure on the path as if guarding a secret, or perhaps the figure is struggling against the symbolic weight of the past that is holding them back. Curator: Müller created this as more than just documentation; it speaks to how the English saw themselves at the time, and the changing relationship with their natural resources. Editor: A landscape both beautiful and a bit melancholy, echoing the fleeting nature of time and memory. Curator: It definitely leaves us contemplating the price of progress.