Gezicht op het ziekenhuis van Glasgow 1801

James Fittler's "View of the Glasgow Hospital" is an engraving, a printmaking process that involves incising an image onto a metal plate, inking the plate, and then pressing it onto paper. This print is a product of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period of rapid industrialization. Engraving as a medium allowed for the mass production of images, playing a crucial role in disseminating information and shaping public perception. The choice of engraving subtly reflects the broader forces of capitalism at play. The fine lines and tonal gradations capture a sense of detail. The image, however, is not a photograph, it is an idealized version of reality. This type of print was made for a growing middle class that was hungry for images of progress and civic virtue. Considering the material and process of its making encourages us to think about how art is imbricated in larger systems of production and consumption.