Banks of the Thames Near London 1869

Curator: Maxime Lalanne's 1869 etching, "Banks of the Thames Near London," offers a tranquil, almost dreamlike view. Editor: There's a haunting stillness to this landscape, a sense of faded memory evoked by the muted tones and delicate lines. The reflections on the water feel almost like apparitions. Curator: Indeed. Lalanne was a master of the etching process, using it to capture the atmosphere of the city. Consider the labor involved; each line carefully incised, bitten by acid, printed, showing an engagement with both industrial production and artistic creation. The final print offered to a burgeoning middle class. Editor: And what stories those lines tell. Notice how the stark trees on the left contrast with the implied human presence—buildings nestled further in the scene. It speaks of humanity coexisting, perhaps uneasily, with nature. Water, of course, serving as a traditional symbol for time and transience. Curator: Precisely, and that unease reflects anxieties during the period; rapid industrialization impacting traditional ways of life along the river, which we might appreciate here by its processing in print. One thing that really jumps out to me are the various states. Did Lalanne iterate on this plate a number of times? Editor: Most likely! And I see not just a river but a Lethe – the mythical river of forgetfulness. Are the ghostly outlines of buildings more clearly suggesting the ever-increasing spread of London, fading the past? The overall tonal scale helps reinforce this feeling... Curator: It seems that Lalanne carefully considered how to distribute both light and labor through his practice, not only reflecting upon place but making something accessible that would endure. Editor: It's truly powerful how Lalanne marries such delicate technique to these broader historical and emotional concerns, etching time itself into the very fibers of the work. The Thames becomes more than a geographical location, a powerful symbol of memory, change and perhaps even, loss.