Bridge and Goats c. 19th century

Editor: This is "Bridge and Goats" by Frederick Christian Lewis. It's a sepia-toned print, and it feels very pastoral and idyllic. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, it's interesting isn't it? It whispers of the picturesque, that 18th-century fascination with crafted, idealised landscapes. Think Claude Lorrain, all golden light and gentle forms. Are those goats really goats, or symbols of some Virgilian idyll? Editor: Oh, I like that! So, it's less about capturing reality and more about evoking a mood? Curator: Precisely. It's like a stage set, isn't it? Less about the goats, more about the *idea* of goats, and the arcadia they represent. Gives you something to chew on, doesn't it?