Canongate Washing 1934

Editor: Right, next up we have "Canongate Washing," a 1934 print in ink by Ernest Stephen Lumsden. It feels very urban and…stark. It is an everyday scene with, you know, clotheslines strung across buildings. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It hits me right in the gut. It's a raw snapshot, wouldn't you say? But it whispers stories of ordinary lives. Those buildings, scarred and crammed, seem to breathe with the rhythms of Canongate, and you feel like you could hear all of the day to day sounds just by gazing into the buildings in this etching. It's also just beautiful on its own for all of the minute little architectural details. Ever felt a city holds secrets in its walls? Editor: Absolutely! I like how you mention those minute architectural details because at first glance it feels busy, but on a closer inspection, it's a cohesive urban portrait. Was this realism typical of the era? Curator: Realism, certainly, but with a twist. Lumsden wasn't just copying what he saw; he was imbuing it with his own emotional weather. It's more than just lines; it's the mood he evokes that sticks with you. Now, look at how the washing dances against the rigid geometry. Do you think it's purely representational, or could it be… something more? Editor: Hmmm...symbolic, perhaps? A touch of levity against a serious backdrop. I noticed also the figure in the window -- is it normal in streetscapes of this sort to have such a clear indication of inhabitants? Curator: Oh, excellent catch! I suspect Lumsden enjoyed suggesting figures in windows, which, I might add, lends humanity to a setting. It does add a layer of warmth, or loneliness, perhaps...It's all quite poignant to observe how it affects you as a viewer. The clothing suggests real-life individuals without presenting them up close. Now that’s fascinating! Editor: That's true. It makes me rethink my initial perception. Now I find the whole image less "stark" and more human. Curator: Precisely. The brilliance of art, my friend. To stir, to unsettle, and, ultimately, to connect us all. I am ready to go do some washing myself after observing this. What an everyday blessing, huh?