Sketches ?for an Illustration for the ‘Surrender of Calais’: A Massacre. Verso: Group of Figures in Contemporary Dress 

Curator: Thomas Stothard, active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, made these sketches for an illustration of the Surrender of Calais, a scene tinged with violence. Editor: The raw, almost frantic lines communicate a feeling of vulnerability; you can almost feel the emotional weight these figures carry. Curator: Indeed, Calais and its people are loaded with symbolic weight; the narrative hinges on themes of sacrifice, national pride, and the brutal realities of conflict. Gender undoubtedly plays a role too, with women often depicted as mourners, highlighting the human cost. Editor: And look at the materiality, just humble paper and graphite. It reminds us that even grand historical events are reduced to labor, the artist wrestling with his materials to make meaning. Curator: Absolutely. Stothard engages with the very power dynamics embedded in the source material, creating a visual discourse on social justice and the effects of war. Editor: It’s interesting how such a light medium can convey such heavy themes. Curator: Precisely, seeing how the artist wrestles with this dark subject reminds us of the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion. Editor: A stark reminder, visualized so intimately.