Old Brick Church, Washington Street, 1713 1894

Curator: This is Henry Robertson Blaney's "Old Brick Church, Washington Street, 1713," an etching, small in scale, with incredible detail, made sometime between his birth in 1891 and his death in 1974. Editor: It feels so fragile, yet grounded, like a memory clinging to the present, revealing to me the social life of the area. Curator: Absolutely, note how Blaney uses the etching technique, the lines creating form, yet also a sense of mass production inherent to printmaking. Editor: I am drawn to the way it captures the sense of place, a bustling area, where the church is not separate, but very much a part of daily life, two figures walking in front of the church, next to a horse carriage. Curator: The materiality speaks to accessibility too, an art for the masses and not just for the elite. Editor: And I appreciate that it asks us to consider the role of religion within civic life, its evolving role as society changes. Curator: It has been enlightening to look at this piece from our different perspectives. Editor: Indeed, it showcases the many ways history, technique, and society intertwine in art.