Angers: Rue des Filles Dieu 1902

David Young Cameron made this etching, Angers: Rue des Filles Dieu, and there’s no date but you can feel that time is central to it. The monochrome palette is simple, like an old photograph, and the mark-making feels immediate but also considered. It's like the artist is thinking aloud, scratching away at the surface to reveal the hidden heart of the scene. The buildings lean in, all crumbling facades and shadowy doorways. Cameron's use of line is incredible, scratchy and nervous. Check out the little figures milling in the street: they're barely there, just a few quick strokes, yet they bring the whole scene to life. You can almost hear the echo of footsteps and whispers in the narrow street. This reminds me a little of Piranesi, who was obsessed with architectural spaces and the way they can dwarf and overwhelm the human figure. Cameron shares that sensibility. Ultimately, this etching is about capturing a fleeting moment, a sense of atmosphere, a feeling.