King of Scots and Andrea Browne 

This piece, by Byam Shaw, is an illustration likely done in watercolor, gouache, and ink – all materials readily available to artists at the turn of the 20th century. The materials employed are especially effective in conveying texture: the king’s robe, for example, is layered in such a way to give it depth, but the texture of the fabric isn’t labored over; Shaw let’s the gouache do the work. The same can be said for the ornate wallpaper to the left. The choice to depict this narrative scene in illustration allows Shaw to tap into a popular mode of production, and wider distribution of images, reflecting the intersection of art and commerce in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Byam Shaw would have been very aware that his images would have entered many households as prints in books and magazines. Ultimately, the artwork shows the rich tapestry of influences in visual culture, blurring boundaries between fine art, illustration, and the expanding culture of mass media.