The artwork titled “Peace and War. Lympne Church and Castle” was created by David Cox in 1838. It belongs to the Romanticism art movement and is categorized under the landscape genre.
The artwork portrays a serene yet dynamic landscape, dominated by an expanse of hills and a vivid sky, rich with billowing clouds. On the left, a pair of figures, likely soldiers, are depicted on horseback, conversing on the crest of a hill. The right side reveals a distant view of Lympne Church and Castle, standing resolutely against the turbulent sky. In the foreground, a line of soldiers in formation marches forward, their red uniforms creating a stark contrast to the more muted tones of the natural surroundings. The overall composition encapsulates the juxtaposition of tranquility and the looming presence of war, a theme prevalent in the Romanticism era.
