St. George's, Hanover Square 1899

David Young Cameron made this etching of St. George's, Hanover Square, using a metal plate and acid. The process gives us delicate lines, each one bitten into the metal by acid. Look closely, and you will see how the varying depths of these lines create depth and shadow. This wasn't a quick sketch; it required careful planning and skilled execution. The choice of etching is significant. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a popular medium for depicting urban scenes, connecting the rise of industrial society with a certain nostalgia for traditional craftsmanship. The image suggests the bustling life of London, with the architecture of wealth and power framing the daily lives of its citizens. Cameron's delicate lines remind us that even mass-produced images are rooted in the skilled labor of the artist. It challenges the division between art and craft, between the unique artwork and the reproducible image.