[title not known] 

Editor: This sketch, of unknown title by the British School, shows a standing figure with a staff. The lines are so spare, it feels like a fleeting impression. What do you see in it? Curator: I see the specter of Empire. The casual stance, the staff as a symbol of authority, the anonymous figure representing a system that often erased individual identities. Who did this person represent? What power did they wield? Editor: That’s a really interesting take. I was just thinking about the simplicity of the drawing itself. Curator: But isn’t that simplicity deceptive? It allows for projection, for us to consider the unseen histories and power dynamics at play. Consider the context. What does it mean to be British, creating this image, at this time? Editor: I never thought about it that way before. It gives the sketch so much more depth. Curator: Exactly. Art is never neutral; it's a product of its time. Hopefully, by acknowledging that, we can have a clearer view of history.