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The Fitzwilliam Museum in England has issued a warning that images of the British countryside in paintings can evoke "dark," "nationalist feelings." The museum, owned by the University of Cambridge, has undertaken an overhaul of its displays in a move that its director insisted was not "woke".

Key Details

• The Fitzwilliam Museum has reorganized its displays to make the museum more "inclusive."
• Signs in the Nature Gallery, featuring the work of artist John Constable, suggest that the artwork can stir feelings of "pride towards a homeland."
• Another part of the sign warns visitors of a "darker side" to the images of the British countryside, implying that only those with a historical tie to the land have a right to belong.

Diving Deeper

The Fitzwilliam Museum's decision to reorganize its displays and issue warnings about the potential nationalist feelings evoked by images of the British countryside has sparked a debate about the role of art in society. The museum's director, Luke Syson, has defended the move, arguing that it is not an example of being "woke."

One of the key changes has been in the Nature Gallery, where the work of artist John Constable is displayed. Constable is known for his paintings of the English countryside, particularly the Suffolk countryside. The museum has added signs next to these paintings, suggesting that they can stir feelings of "pride towards a homeland." The signs also note that landscape paintings have always been entangled with national identity, with the countryside seen as a direct link to the past and a true reflection of the essence of a nation.

However, the museum has also warned of a "darker side" to these images. The signs suggest that evoking nationalist feelings can imply that only those with a historical tie to the land have a right to belong. 

In addition to the changes in the Nature Gallery, the museum has also made alterations in other galleries. In the Identity Gallery, signs suggest that portraits of wealthy and uniformed sitters were used to reinforce the social order of a white ruling class, leaving little room for representations of "people of color, the working classes, or other marginalized people". In the Migration and Movement gallery, signs note that while some people chose to leave their homes, others were forced to flee or were exiled due to global conflict, discrimination, and European colonialism.