Gezicht op Greenwich Hospital aan de rivier de Theems te Greenwich 1751

This print of Greenwich Hospital on the River Thames was made by Robert Sayer, likely sometime in the late 18th century, using etching and engraving techniques. Look closely and you'll see a network of fine lines incised into the paper. The artist would have coated a metal plate with a waxy ground, then drawn through it to expose the metal. An acid bath then bites into these exposed lines, after which ink is applied and the plate is pressed onto paper. Additional color was then added to the print. While seemingly a straightforward depiction, this print speaks volumes about labor and trade. The hospital itself was built to house retired sailors, men who risked their lives in service of the British Empire. The ships on the Thames represent the lifeblood of that empire, carrying goods and people across the globe. Sayer’s print, skillfully produced, was made for a mass market hungry for images of Britain’s growing power. It is a testament to the complex relationship between art, industry, and empire in the 18th century.