Langstrath 1905

Curator: This is Sir Charles Holroyd’s etching, "Langstrath." Editor: Stark. The etching seems to capture a scene of immense geological force. Curator: Holroyd was deeply involved in the art world, serving as Director of the National Gallery. Consider how that role shaped his artistic choices, his selection of subject matter, the art market. Editor: I'm drawn to the line work itself. The way the etching captures the rough texture of the rocks, suggesting the labor involved in their formation. I think of the copper plate, the acid, the press. Curator: Holroyd often focused on landscape. Perhaps he viewed the natural world as an escape from the political machinations of the art world. Editor: Or maybe he found the same political currents in the landscape itself—land ownership, industrial impact, the very consumption of resources represented here. Curator: It gives you a lot to consider. Editor: It does indeed.