Drypoint Number Five: Portrait 1909

Editor: This is "Drypoint Number Five: Portrait" by Donald Shaw MacLaughlan, made in 1909. It looks like the main materials are metal and paper since it's a print. I am fascinated by the detail created with the drypoint technique; you can see individual lines that create a sense of texture. How does this use of material and technique speak to you? Curator: Well, consider the historical context: Printmaking in the early 20th century was increasingly accessible due to industrial advances, yet it retained a connection to older craft traditions. MacLaughlan's choice of drypoint, a demanding technique, reflects a deliberate engagement with labor and the physical process of image making. What does that scarcity mean today in terms of material consumption and artistic intention? Editor: So, it's a conscious decision against mass production. The artist is deliberately showing skill, not just churning out images easily. How would this portrait compare to others made at that time, for example in painting? Curator: Exactly. A painted portrait, even a modest one, still connoted wealth and patronage. A drypoint print like this, made to be reproduced but still carrying the mark of the artist's hand, potentially circulates amongst a different social class and can be a critical cultural assessment through accessibility. Does the medium change who and how he’s representing? Editor: That’s interesting! So the choice of materials and method is almost a political statement in a way. I had only thought of it as an artistic choice, but it seems tied to social and economic factors too. Curator: Precisely. By understanding the labor and material conditions of its production, we gain insight into the artwork's potential role in shaping and reflecting social values. I hope you realize materiality speaks beyond appearance! Editor: I do. Thanks so much! I’ll never look at prints the same way again.