Old Moffat 1929

Curator: This is "Old Moffat," an etching by Edward Bouverie Hoyton, created in 1929. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the sheer weight of age conveyed in this man's face. There's a palpable sense of weariness, but also a kind of stoic dignity. Curator: Hoyton was part of a larger artistic trend in the interwar period to depict the lives of everyday people. These depictions acted, in some ways, as counterpoints to the dominant narratives about progress and modernization that swept across Europe at this time. Hoyton himself was active in printmaking circles that tried to engage with working class subject matter, in opposition to the high art of the galleries. Editor: The cap he wears, the way he clasps that walking stick – those seem deliberate choices. Perhaps he represents more than just himself; maybe he is a symbol of a fading way of life. The staff itself looks almost like a scepter here. Curator: Perhaps. These images gain greater historical value precisely because of these ambiguities. His name – Old Moffat – hints at local history and memory; it brings this anonymous individual into broader debates about cultural identity. His age situates him firmly within the transformations of the period. Editor: I keep coming back to his eyes. There's a deep sadness there, a knowledge of things lost, perhaps. He’s like an archetype, a visual representation of time’s passage. Curator: And that's the interesting dance in these historical artworks isn't it? How a period engraves its fears and hopes onto the faces of those deemed ordinary. How those depictions then resonate through the years after the subject is lost. Editor: A potent reminder of what endures and what fades. It is a solemn work that encourages you to contemplate your own fleeting time.