Exposition of Cyrus 1765

Editor: Here we have "Exposition of Cyrus" by John Boydell, though the date is unknown. The composition feels both serene and slightly melancholic to me. What's your interpretation of it? Curator: Well, for me, it's a charming fable frozen in monochrome. The abandoned child, the watchful dog, the shepherdess, all lit by what feels like benevolent moonlight. It makes me wonder, doesn't it, about the tales we tell ourselves about fate and nature. Do you think there is an optimism here? Editor: Perhaps, given the figures seem poised in anticipation. I hadn't considered the story it was trying to tell. Curator: Exactly! It is a story of potential, isn't it? Art is a mirror reflecting our own hopes, and fears, back at us.