Tile 1771 - 1776

Curator: These three earthenware tiles date back to sometime between 1771 and 1776. Editor: Gosh, the first impression I get is pure narrative. I see these little scenes unfolding—it’s like a silent graphic novel, but more pastoral, maybe? Curator: I find it interesting how these seemingly innocuous tiles tap into complex dialogues around labor and leisure during the 18th century. The way they frame rural scenes, there’s a very deliberate construction of what is considered picturesque. Editor: Picturesque indeed! I love how each tiny landscape is contained within this neat little square. And even in monochrome, the carver teases out textures... look at the dappling of light on the trees, the folds in the clothing. It's very evocative. They almost remind me of those magic eye books—you know, the kind that have another image that can be deciphered after enough focused staring. I get so drawn into them, only here the “trick” is emotional. Curator: Perhaps we can view these works as signifiers of a rapidly changing world. Land enclosure acts were displacing rural populations, and here you have these little squares depicting idealized rustic life as a decorative, consumerist product. It's unsettling, isn't it? Editor: That is unsettling. They really become these potent little vessels of yearning—nostalgia even. To possess a symbol of the life being eradicated must've felt surreal at the time. And the material itself… the ceramic must’ve offered a sense of solidity to these homeowners… of permanence. Which is quite the illusion. Curator: Right. This piece offers us a visual bridge. It sits neatly between what was, what is desired, and the underlying societal shifts that impact people so unequally. Editor: These tiles certainly take us somewhere far bigger than their size lets on. There's definitely magic in mundane, right? I’m seeing a lot through these small frames.