Robin's Court 1907

David Young Cameron made this etching, sometime in the 20th century, by dragging a tool across a plate to create thin lines of dark against a white background. The longer I look, the more I feel like I’m walking into this courtyard behind the figure. I imagine Cameron, hunched over his plate, scratching away at the metal, trying to capture the light as it hits the buildings and the street. The composition is really clever, how the dark corridor opens up into a brighter space, drawing you in. Look at the contrast! I wonder if he was thinking about the fleeting nature of light and shadow, and how they define our perception of space. It’s like he’s inviting us to contemplate the quiet beauty of everyday life, and maybe even question what we think we see.