Sheafe House, Built l734, Razed 1887, Headquarters of Lord Peter 1894

Editor: This print, "Sheafe House, Built l734, Razed 1887, Headquarters of Lord Peter," by Henry Robertson, captures a building on the cusp of demolition. The contrast between the old house and the taller building in the background is striking. What does this image tell us about its time? Curator: This image encapsulates a moment of urban transformation and the politics of memory. The Sheafe House, once a prominent structure, is now dwarfed, awaiting demolition. The artist captures not just a building, but a disappearing past yielding to modernization. Consider the social implications of razing historical sites for new developments. What narratives are lost, and whose stories are prioritized in the urban landscape? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered it as a commentary on urban development and the prioritization of progress over history. Curator: Exactly. This image invites us to reflect on the values we assign to different eras and the selective nature of historical preservation.