Mary, Queen of Scots (from "Queenly Women, Crowned and Uncrowned," plate VII) 1885

This is a portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots, made by William G. Jackman in the mid-19th century. It is a print, made by incising an image into a metal plate, inking the plate, and running it through a press. The technique is important here. Prints like this were made to be widely distributed. The image of Mary, Queen of Scots, a tragic figure in British history, was thus made available to a broad public. Notice the crisp lines that define Mary’s face, her elaborate dress, and the delicate landscape in the background. These details were meticulously etched into the metal. The printmaking process, with its reliance on skilled labor and mechanical reproduction, allowed for the mass dissemination of cultural and historical imagery, shaping public perceptions and collective memory. Paying attention to the material and processes reveals how art is interwoven with social and cultural forces, collapsing the hierarchy between fine art and everyday life.