Waterfall in the Dingle at Badger Hall c. 1841

Peter De Wint's "Waterfall in the Dingle at Badger Hall" is a watercolor painting, a medium that might seem light and delicate, yet it's capable of conveying a wealth of information about place and time. De Wint's engagement with watercolor is particularly interesting. In his era, watercolor was emerging from its traditional roles in topographical and amateur art to become a medium capable of expressing the sublime. Notice how the fluid, almost uncontrolled washes of color capture the dampness of the scene. The way the water cascades, the moss clings to the rocks – all rendered with a directness that speaks to De Wint's deep engagement with the landscape. But beyond the picturesque scene, consider the social context. Landscape painting like this was a product of its time, reflecting Romantic ideals about nature and the growing accessibility of the countryside due to new rail lines. These watercolor paintings catered to the tastes of a rising middle class eager to consume images of Britain's natural beauty, suggesting that what may appear as a simple landscape carries a whole world of cultural meaning within it.