Poachers: View in the Dargle c. 1760

Editor: This is John Butts' "Poachers: View in the Dargle," a painting of unknown date. I’m immediately struck by the figures dwarfed by the landscape. What story do you see being told here? Curator: The title itself, "Poachers," is a loaded term, suggesting a violation of property rights. But consider the broader social context. Did the law serve everyone equally in 18th-century Ireland? Editor: That’s a good point, it makes you wonder who the law really protects in these kinds of landscapes. Curator: Exactly! We must question whose perspective is privileged in the very act of representation. Editor: I hadn't considered that. It reframes the whole image. Curator: Indeed. Thinking about the painting in terms of power dynamics really changes how we see it.