Stirling Castle c. 1903

Curator: Looking at "Stirling Castle," a 1903 photogravure by James Craig Annan, what immediately captures your attention? Editor: It's the density, I think. The heaviness of the atmosphere, the stone, even the print itself. It feels less like a window onto a scene and more like an object with its own palpable weight. You can almost smell the damp stone and earth. Curator: Annan's Pictorialist style truly shines here. He wasn't just documenting a castle; he was evoking the aura of Scottish history. The castle looming above is meant to impress, to instill a sense of awe at the endurance of power. Editor: And yet, it's interesting how he balances the grandiosity with the mundane. Look at the outbuildings, the quiet horse grazing. The means of sustenance, labor, and the animal element necessary to erect and maintain this seat of power. These everyday things really bring it down to earth. What do you think Annan's choices in materiality communicate here? Curator: Perhaps it's about contrasting timelessness with ephemerality. The castle as a symbol of enduring Scottish identity versus the fleeting, pastoral life at its base. It gives depth, doesn't it? Castles were not always the primary feature. Over time, rural spaces evolved alongside their imposing neighbors. We should note this etching's visual texture; this lends the impression of age and durability. Editor: The texture certainly gives it that aged appearance. It reminds me of the social contexts of art photography emerging in the early 20th century. The photogravure print provided a new way for images to be consumed, and brought to the masses to influence viewers to consider and remember important symbols like that of a fortified castle. It's not merely about pretty landscapes. Curator: Absolutely. Annan invites the viewer to ponder not just the aesthetic but also the cultural significance woven into the image of Stirling Castle. What began as something material has transformed, becoming representative of Scotland itself. It's more than craftsmanship. Editor: I see it as a moment frozen, revealing something both monumental and quite humbly human about our relationship with places of history. Thank you for this walk-through. Curator: It was enlightening for me as well, seeing the interplay between the grandeur and the materiality afresh.