Dr Sarah Tiffin (Author): Raffles and the Course of Empire: Decoding Ruin Imagery in The History of Java
Royal Asiatic Society Lecture Theatre 14 Stephenson Way, London, United KingdomWhen Raffles wrote his landmark publication The History of Java in 1817, ruin sentiment was a fashionable if rather wistful turn of mind that had a considerable influence on British art and literature. The ruin was a popular motif in picturesque imagery, serving as the stimulus for melancholic musings that ranged from deeply felt personal…