Greenwich Hospital as it was in 1837 1862

Editor: This is James Holland's "Greenwich Hospital as it was in 1837," currently held at the Tate. I'm struck by the stormy sky and how it looms over the scene. What's your take on this piece? Curator: It’s a moody piece, isn't it? Holland really captures a sense of place, but also a feeling, like a memory tinged with melancholy. I see the building as a stalwart presence against an uncertain future, given how tempestuous the sky seems to be. And, yes, the dramatic sky really amplifies that sentiment. What do you make of the figures in the foreground? Editor: They almost seem swallowed by the architecture. Curator: Exactly! It’s like the weight of history is pressing down. Gives one pause, doesn't it? A lesson in perspective, perhaps. Editor: I never thought of it that way, but I can see that now. Curator: Wonderful! Always more than meets the eye, isn’t there?